


He Was His

by Crackalack



Series: He Was His [1]
Category: Craquaria - Fandom, RuPaul's Drag Race RPF, drag race - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Smut, mlm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-07-13 13:12:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 116,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16018643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crackalack/pseuds/Crackalack
Summary: Them hating each other was the story they wanted you to believe, but not everything is how TV shows you. Max and Giovanni have been through a lot together in the years before drag race, but after reconnecting on the show their relationship takes a turn neither of them are going to complain about.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They had thought they had dealt with their problems while on set, but in the months following the filming of Drag Race Max and Gio could not have felt more apart, but 1 night is about to change their lives all over again. xx - Betty

Max flopped himself down on his old tattered couch, still half in drag, exhausted at the end of the night. Katelyn had called it a night long before Max had even left the club, with Monet keeping him backstage longer than Katelyn could stand. He was careful to not make too much noise in the small apartment, not wanting to wake up his best friend in the next room. Max carefully unclipped his wig, finally separating him from Miz Cracker. Sure, he was still wearing her face but the hair was what really made the little lady. Monet and Bob would always make fun of him for wearing his wigs and makeup home when he’d already taken off his body, but Max knew that putting his hard work into a bag would make it loose shape and he had no time to fully restyle his wigs between gigs. His phone buzzed on the coffee table in front of him.

 

**1:23am Monet:** _Hey you still in the city?_

 

Max didn’t have time for this, it was 1am and he just wanted to get this makeup off. Tossing his phone onto the couch he unzipped his hoodie and proceeded to get undressed as he made his way to the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind him. Closing the door behind him he slipped off his boxers and tried to avoid the mirror in front of him as much as he could. He hated looking in the mirror when he had his male body and Cracker’s face. It just wasn’t him or her and he liked to keep them separate. He grabbed a makeup wipe and tried to do the best he could while he waited for the water to heat up. Admitting defeat to the glue that was still in his eyebrows he hopped into the stream of hot water. The water felt good on his skin, the heat and pressure of the water loosening his tight, aching muscles. He scrubbed at his face and hairline, removing all the glue that came with being Cracker. Glue was inevitable. Wig and eyelash glue was fine to remove but nothing was better to Max that getting rid of the residue from tucking tape. That shit was annoying even after you untucked, and the left over adhesive made for a sticky situation. Either way it gave him time with his body to get back to Max. He put the body wash on his palm and started to clean the residue off of his more intimate areas. To say Max felt deprived at this point was an understatement. His hands lingered on his shaft, he tried to get rid of all thoughts but all he could think about as he touched himself was long slender pale fingers and a very specific pair of dark eyes. Max stopped himself immediately. Why did he keep coming to mind when he was the last person he wanted to see right now? Max quickly turned off the water and got out of the shower, haphazardly drying his hair and body before wrapping a towel around his waist. Back in the Living room he picked up his phone.

 

**1:30am Monet:** _Oh so you’re gonna leave me on read_

**1:30am Monet:** _ok I see how it is_

**1:33am Monet:** _Ok Im not joking bitch REPLY_

**1:35am Monet:** _Cracker I know your ass aint asleep but whatever_

**1:36am Monet:** _Did you know Aquaria was here tonight? Cos she’s crying backstage and no one knows why_

 

Max sighed. He did know Aquaria was there that night. She had popped her perfect little head into the dressing room while he was doing his makeup.  
“Hey Max!” She had exclaimed upon seeing him in the chair, a big white smile on her face.  
“Hey Aquaria” He had replied dryly. The younger queen’s face had dropped. Max hardly ever called her Aquaria since filming, at least in secret. In front of the cameras they were Aquaria and Miz Cracker but behind the scenes they were Max and Gio. Or at least he thought they were.  
“How are you?” Aquaria said sitting down next to the older queen and crossing her long toned legs under the sheer skirt of her dress.  
“Fine” Cracker didn’t even turn from the mirror to answer her question.  
Giovanni was shy and awkward and usually Aquaria could combat that but not now. Not even she made Giovanni confident. She stumbled over her words “I…um..i guess you wanna concentrate…we should um catch up like soon..if your not-“  
“uh huh” Cracker cut her off, still not making eye contact. Aquaria slowly got up and left the room.  
“Break a leg out there Max” She said softly as she walked out the doorway. Max may have been harsh, but Aquaria had broken his heart and was refusing to acknowledge it.

 

**2:04am Cracker:** _Has she stopped_

**2:04am Monet:** _She went home, she performed her number and then just went home. She didn’t even tell anyone she was leaving_

**2:05am Monet:** _I’m worried about her, she was like fully scream crying in her dressing room about something. Could you go check on her pleeeese?_

**2:06am Cracker:** _I’m sure she’d rather have Jordan show up._

  
She realized how passive aggressive that period was but she meant it.

  
**2:06am Monet:** _really Max…._

**2:06am Monet:** _I don’t know where the fuck he is. Once he found out she had gone he was off the clock._

**2:06am Monet:** _He’s probably at some other party or fucking someone, I don’t know or care what he does_ **  
2:07am Monet:** _Can you go check on her or not?_

**2:08am Cracker:** _You really think I’m going to go from Harlem to Brooklyn, spend $70 in Uber money at 2am on a Sunday morning to check on her?_

 

Without missing a beat Monet replied.

 

**2:09am Monet:** _Yes_

**2:09am Monet:** _Cos I know how much you care about her. I’m one of your best friends Cracker and I can tell you care and she is not in a good place tonight._

 

After writing 8 different messages and deleting them all Max responded.

 

**2:12am Cracker:** _Fine, I’ll go to him_

 

He threw on a pair of jeans, a white button up shirt that was sitting on the couch and some converses before grabbing the closest jacket next to the door. It was probably way too cold for the October night but Max didn’t care. He wrote a quick note to Katelyn letting her know that he had gone out. He knew she would stress out if she woke up and thought he had never come home. But then again, his clothes from the night were strewn across the floor from the living room to the bathroom so it’s not like she wouldn’t know he’d been there. The Uber was there in 5 minutes. Going through the lit up Manhattan streets Max marveled at the city he loved so dearly. “you’re the star that shines brighter than all of New York Maxwell Heller” he remembered a soft voice once told him on what he thought was the worst day of his career. He rapidly blinked away the memory trying to clear his head. Before he knew it the 30minute ride was over and he was standing in front of Gio’s apartment building. Max walked up the stairs and stopped when he got to the apartment he was looking for. He had only been there a handful of times years ago when the two of them were friends, but he would never forget how to get to Gio’s home. Max took a deep breath to try and calm himself down but it wasn’t working so he knocked on the door.

“Go away” an all too familiar voice called back.  
Max had spent way too much time and money getting here to back down that easily. He banged on the door again and didn’t stop until he heard a response.  
“Oh for fuck sake Jordan! I’m not going to DO anything, its dumb just leave me-” Giovanni opened the door and was not expecting for it to be Max waiting for him “Max? what um why, why are you here” Gio was confused to say the least. Max walked into the apartment before Gio could close the door on him.  
“Monet messaged me saying she was worried so I came to check on you” Giovanni closed the door and turned to Max, crossing his arms over his chest self-consciously, not knowing what to do in the situation. Max took note of what Aquaria was wearing. Patterned black and white high waist pants made his already long legs go on forever and of course his go to heeled boots didn’t do his already towering height any disservice and elongated his body even further. The only sign that he wasn’t feeling alright was the slouchy red sweatshirt, that fashionably draped over his thin frame, and the last remaining remnants of Aquaria’s eyeliner. If it was Max in an emotional state, you’d be lucky to catch him in jeans rather than week old sweatpants. But no, Giovanni looked like perfection as usual, right down to the perfectly arched eyebrow. The younger queen’s eyes were red and puffy and the light caught the stream of tears. “Hey are you alright” Max stepped closer, putting a hand on Giovanni’s upper arm. A single tear escaped from Giovanni’s eyes and rolled down his cheek. “What happened?”  
“I was going to ask you the same thing” Gio stutters out. The two men just pause for a moment, both understanding that neither were talking about the younger queen’s breakdown tonight at the club. Max brought his eyes up to meet the taller queen’s who hadn’t left his face since he spoke. The phone in Giovanni’s hand started to ring, Max saw Jordan’s face pop up on the screen and took his hand from Aquaria’s arm.  
“You should get that” Max says more deflated than he intended to sound.  
“It’s no big deal, I’ll message him later” Aquaria hit the decline call button and as Max stood their mildly stunned the texts came flooding in.  
“Just call him back, I feel really uncomfortable being in this apartment when he’s not here to know I’m with you” Max looked at his feet. There was a long pause as Max didn’t look back up. If he had he would have seen the level of confusion on Giovanni’s face as he tried to understand where Max was coming from.  
“What the hell are you on about? Why would you want him here right now” Giovanni said as he gave up on trying to dissect Max’s comment.

“oh you know exactly why Aquaria” his voice saying her name was like acid “If I was in his situation I wouldn’t want my boyfriend hanging around with someone they used to have feelings for”  
“But he doesn’t even have-“ It all hit Giovanni at once “oh, oh my god” Max looked at the younger queen perplexed. Watching Gio figure out what was happening was like watching a cartoon with how animated his face was. “We aren’t a thing Max”  
“I don’t really care how official the two of you want to be Gio, I just don’t feel comfortable knowing that this is probably where the two of you-“  
“Max it’s really not like that” The young queen cut him off sharply. “And why the fuck would you care if I was fucking him after how you treated me the past few months”  
Max was silent. He had treated him terribly since he came back from filming.  
“I’m not the one who broke our promise” He finally was able to say and the stream of tear flowed down Giovanni’s face. He wanted so badly to wipe away those tears. To forgive him but he couldn’t. At least not knowing that Gio wasn’t his.  
“I never broke our fucking promise Max! You did. You abandoned me. You gave me the cold shoulder. You never even spoke more than 5 words to me my first night back or until now. What have I ever done to you. I wasn’t even in the city a full day after filming ended, what could I have possibly done!” Max looked at him as the young queen unleashed the biting words that had built up over the past few months. He took a deep breath before he spoke.  
“I was there on your first night back. I walked into your dressing room and you were with him. I left Gio, you couldn’t even wait a day before moving on. You think I didn’t see you. You think my heart doesn’t break when I see the two of you together at gigs, laughing, hugging. You don’t have to push it down my throat Gio, you can push down as far as you want but you already took out my heart and crushed it that night”  
Giovanni stood in total shock. The silence deafening and the memory of when Max’s heart broke played in his head.

 

He had been eagerly waiting for the day Gio would come home. They had promised to start their lives together once he returned, before the promos were out, before they were thrust into the spotlight. Just Max and Gio, just Cracker and Aquaria. Max knew Gio had a gig set up only a few hours after his flight landed. He had invited all his friends to the gig and Max was happy to go without his Cracker protective shield to support the young man he was totally enthralled with. Dressed to the nines in a pair of black jeans with a white shirt and bowtie, Max had decided to surprise Gio backstage with 3 dozen roses, they cost him a fortune but Monet and Katelyn had pitched in because of how happy they were to see the two of them together. He couldn’t help but smile as he walked backstage towards the small dressing room. He heard her before he saw her “Oh, oh my god!” he heard Aquaria exclaim breathlessly down the hall. “So good!”. He opened the door and saw Aquaria sitting back on the dressing table with Jordan straightening up in front of her, taking his hand from the back of her neck, the two of them smiling. As Aquaria got up and they wrapped their arms around each other Max could hear his heart break. He dropped the flowers on the ground and left, refusing to let anyone see him and see him cry.

 

“I hope you enjoyed the flowers”  
It all came back to Giovanni once Max had said that. How him and Jordan had jumped at the sound of a soft thud and loud, fast footsteps. Jordan had opened the door to find roses strewn all over the floor. How they had thought it was a welcome home gift from a fan or one of the queens who were always at Aquaria’s local place. Max hadn’t come to mind as someone who would do that.  
“I wasn’t doing anything with Jordan. He’s my best friend. He’s my assistant” Giovanni stepped closer but Max took a step back.  
“Then why did you look at him with love in your eyes? Why did you look so happy?” He gathered the strength to look up into the taller queen’s eyes “Why did he touch you like only I would?” He took a small step forward, bringing his hand up behind Giovanni’s neck, the queen settling his head into the other’s hand letting out a soft sigh as the older queen cradled him. Max took his hand away knowing they were getting into a dangerous place and he needed answers “Why were you smiling in a way I thought I could only make you smile?”

“You are the only person who can make me smile like that, even thinking of you makes me smile like that”  
“I don’t see where this is goi-“

“I’ll be right back” Giovanni cut him off and quickly left the room. Max could hear rustling from the bedroom for a few moments before he returned, standing closely in front of Max’s 5”5 frame. “What you saw was Jordan helping me put a necklace on” Giovanni pulled the collar of his shirt down to expose a small gold star hanging around his neck. “I had Jordan pick them up from the engraver while I was on my flight” Max looked at him confused “Read the back” He said softly. He slowly raised his hand, his fingers brushing the younger man’s chest as he flipped the pendant. “Max” It read in a beautiful cursive font. His mouth parted in a mixture of shock and confusion. “I also had this made. I was going to give you it that night” He took out a Tiffany blue box and handed it to Max before stepping around him and sitting on the arm of the couch. Max turned to face him before opening up the box. A thick silver band with an imbedded gold star looked back at him. “I knew you would never wear a necklace so I went with something less in your face” He picked it up in shock before noticing there was writing on the inside. “brighter than NYC - G” Max’s heart stopped, he looked over at Gio who’s soft smile started his heart back up again. Max smiled back at him for the first time in months. “I get if you don’t want it but I just thought that you should know I got you it because I care about you and…” Giovanni started to ramble, clearly nervous and unsure of what this all meant. The only thing that stopped his rapid speech was when Max pushed the ring onto his finger, a perfect fit. “You like it?” Gio’s face lit up.  
“I love it” Max said stepping closer, the younger man parted his legs allowing Max to stand directly over him. Max gently brushed a hair out of Giovanni’s eyes before cupping his face softly with both hands, drawing their eyes up to meet one another. Max couldn’t help himself and leant down, pressing their soft lips together. The kiss was slow but the pace built up with speed. Giovanni started to stand as he parted his lips, allowing Max to deepen the kiss as his head tilted upwards with Giovanni’s height. Max wrapped his arm around Gio’s thin waist and pulled them tight against each other and grabbed at the young man’s ass with the other hand, kneading the soft skin through his pants. He let out a soft moan at the rough action and grinded himself against Max’s touch feeling himself growing harder by the second. He parted their mouths and trailed kisses along the shorter man’s jawline before nibbling at his ear and whispering “Bed?” Max pulled slightly away and looked into Giovanni’s eyes.  
“Are you sure?” With that the younger man lifted his arm from around his waist and brought his hands down to his crotch, letting Max feel how much he wanted him in that moment. “Ok” he said with a smile as the young queen took his hand and lead him to the bedroom just off the kitchen. They stopped at the edge of the bed, Giovanni pulling Max back into a kiss. Max’s hands ran over his body finding the hem of the red sweatshirt and pulling it over Giovanni’s head before gently pushing him back onto the bed, lifting his leg one at a time for Max to take off his shoes. The young queen sat back up on his knees and started undoing the older man’s shirt. Giovanni opened the shirt up and marveled at Max’s body which was highly underrated. Max smiled coyly. He didn’t hate his body but he knew in comparison to his young lover he was nowhere near the perfection he deserved. Giovanni undid his pants and slowly slipped them off his hips before leaning back to have Max pull them off. In a room lit only by the moon and city lights streaming in from the window, Giovanni lay there in front of Max in nothing but the star necklace and a black jockstrap that held his butt perfectly high. “Of course that’s what you’re wearing casually” Max laughed and Giovanni shone a bashful smile that sent butterflies through Max’s stomach. He couldn’t understand what he’d done to deserve this tonight. As the younger queen crawled over and trailed kisses from his waist band to his collarbone Max couldn’t stop his brain.

“Wait, I can’t do this” Max leant away from Giovanni’s kiss  
“What’s wrong babe?” Giovanni said confused. Hearing him call him babe made Max melt inside, it made him want to pick him up and fuck him immediately but he still wasn’t sure. Giovanni placed a delicate hand on Max’s shoulder and the other on his face, bringing their gazes to one another.  
“I’ve been so awful to you for months, I don’t deserve this” He stroked Giovanni’s bicep.  
“Max, it’s fine, it’s really fine” He pulled their lips together but after a few seconds Max sighed and stopped the kiss.  
“I shouldn’t just get to fuck you after I turned what was meant to be a beautiful moment into endless torment for both of us” He ran his hands through Giovanni’s hair partly defeated. Giovanni didn’t care about the last few months. It had been a long and painful misunderstanding but a misunderstanding none the less. He sat back on his heels, looking up at Max who was lost in his hair.  
“Babe I don’t care anymore. It’s all ok” Max’s expression still didn’t change, he was good at getting in his own head, Gio knew this and the world would find out soon enough. He sat back up on his knees, at eyelevel with the short queen. He hooked his fingers in on either side of Max’s shirt and slid it off his body. Even though Max was mad at himself he pulled Gio towards him, their exposed torsos pressed against one another. Max lost himself in Giovanni’s eyes. These were the eyes he pictured at his most intimate times, and now those visions were a reality. Giovanni broke his daydream by crashing their lips into one another, this time hungrier than ever before. As their tongues swirled in each other’s mouth Max aggressively grabbed for Giovanni’s bare ass, a slapping noise echoed in silent room as Max rubbed and pulled at the young man’s tiny perfect butt. Giovanni pulled himself tighter against the man in front of him. With every second Max could feel him getting harder and harder as his crotch was pressing against his abdomen. One of Giovanni’s hands slinked down Max’s body and undid the button and fly of Max’s jeans. As Max bit and sucked at the soft skin of his neck, Giovanni could see the rigid outline of Max’s shaft through the undone zipper. He was larger and thicker than Gio had expected and he was not complaining. During his moment of distraction Max had moved his hand down to the thin waistband of Gio’s underwear, his hand traveled over his dick before firmly grasping at his balls through the thin material. Giovanni’s head craned back as a soft moan escaped his lips. “What do I need to do to show you I’m not mad?” He looked deep into Max’s eyes before toying with the waistband of his jeans. Max took the hint and took off his shoes, then his jeans. It felt like forever for Giovanni who sat there eagerly waiting. Max looked away as he pulled down his underwear, his erection falling out as he removed the supports. I was just as good as Gio had imagined from that first glance moments before. Max was brought back to the room by Gio’s delicate hand wrapping itself around his erection. As he began to stroke his shaft Gio stood, not breaking rhythm and turned them before guiding Max back onto the bed. Without missing a beat, he was in a full squat in front of him between his legs. Gio looked up at him as he continued to move his hand up and down the shaft, alternating pressure and rubbing Max’s inner thigh with his other hand. Max lay himself back on his elbows as Giovanni wrapped his supple lips around the head of his dick, swirling his tongue around, teasing him.  
“Shit” The word escaped Max’s mouth with such force that he couldn’t even have tried to stop himself. He felt Giovanni smile, knowing that his actions had elicited that response. Before Max could recompose himself Giovanni started to take his length into his mouth and throat, all while his hand kept moving up and down the other man’s shaft. Max’s breath drew heavy as he placed a hand on the young man’s head, bobbing him up and down rhythmically, pushing himself further and further into his mouth and throat. The older man’s breath was getting harder and harder “Do you even have a gag reflex?” he joked. The younger queen stopped and Max saw him raise an eyebrow before taking the last of his dick into his throat. As his dick went in and out, hitting the back of the young man’s throat every time, Max started to grasp at the black sheets. Giovanni noticed that he must be close, he slowed his movements making sure he was taking him fully in while his other hand moved to play with his balls. As he swirled his tongue around the head of his penis Max couldn’t hold it any longer and let his load out in Giovanni’s mouth, locking his grip hard in Giovanni’s soft black hair. The young queen took it all, proudly opening his mouth to show Max that he had swallowed every drop. After a few moments collapsed on the bed, the older queen sat up allowing the younger one to sit on his lap, legs around his waist. Gio kissed him hard, know that Max was tasting himself which drove him even crazier. Max pulled aside the tiny fabric and stroked Giovanni’s erection as it was pressed between them. Gio rocked himself back and forth until he could feel Max starting to stir again.  
“You know, for an old guy your ability to get it back up is incredible” Gio smiled knowing that he could get away with saying anything right now and Max wouldn’t care, not in this frenzied state at least.  
“Please let me give it back to you Gio, let me” He breathlessly whispered into the young queen’s ear, tugging at the fabric still around his hips even though it didn’t hold anything anymore. Gio rolled onto the bed, reaching for his bedside drawer and taking out a small bottle of lube. Max took that opportunity to slide the rest of his lover’s underwear from his body before crawling on top of him, leaving a trail of kisses up his entire body. Gio caressed the chest of the man above him. Max’s hand cupped Gio’s face, a soft moment in the heat of passion. Gio felt the ring on Max’s finger and smiled.  
“Max, I don’t want you to fuck me. It’s so careless and frivolous” Max looked down at him confused. “I want you to make love to me Max” It was a sweet ask, a lover’s ask. Max smiled before lowering himself down to kiss Giovanni softly, passionately. He moved his hands down his porcelain skin, hooking his lover’s leg around his waist to open him up just a little bit as he teased his entrance. He reached for the lube on the bed side table and coated his two fingers with the slick substance. He rubbed around the area before pushing in a single finger, then another shortly after. Max watched as Gio’s chest moved faster under him. Gio pulled him closer, kissing him tenderly “I want you, all of you” he said as their foreheads rested against each other. Max smiled and reached for the bottle of lube again while Giovanni repositioned himself. With a good coating in place Max slowly teased Giovanni, who eagerly whimpered impatiently. The whimpering was cut off with a sharp intake of breath as Max began to insert himself within him. Mostly in he started moving his hips in rhythm with the circles he kneaded into his porcelain hips with his thumbs as he held the young queens hips up off the bed. “Deeper Max” Gio whispered.  
“Baby I’ve seen you perform I know you can spread wider than this” Max smirked. Giovanni accepted the challenge and lifted his legs out and up above his head. “Wow, ok that works” He said as he pushed himself fully in, caused him to bite his lips at the tight sensation “Fuck” they said in unison. Giovanni moaned deeply under him, as Max picked up the pace of their movements. Giovanni placed a hand on his chest. “Lay back babe” Max flipped them and now Gio was sitting on top of him. Max’s head rolled back as Giovanni started to ride him, fast, methodically, grinding himself down against the older man’s pelvic bone. Max was on the brink again and grabbed Giovanni’s waist, pausing his movements and giving him a second to catch his breath. A second was all he had, the next thing he knew Max had him on his back, thrusting in and out of him at a frantic rate. “Fuck Max, shit” was all Gio could get out as his lover kissed his neck and jaw, never loosing pace. Giovanni wrapped his legs around Max’s waist, encouraging this position. Max sat up and held the younger man’s legs, the sound of skin hitting skin filling the room even louder than before. “Yes there, right there” the young man screamed, his back arching and his hands feverously pulling at his erection in the state of pleasure. The sight of Giovanni writhing around under him like this because of his touch was the final straw for Max who couldn’t take it any longer. As Max doubled over, catching himself by placing a strong arm down on the bed, Gio felt the flood of heat within him. The feeling of Max cumming inside him, watching every toned muscles tense, was the tipping point for Gio and moments later he came all over his own abdomen and chest as Max finished inside of him. Max was in disbelief at what was unfolding right below him. He leaned down and licked every drop from his lover’s body. Max’s tongue traveling over his body sent shivers through Giovanni, as his already electrified body came down from its high. Max slowly pulled out as he watched a smile appear on Giovanni’s face, his head still back on the bed and his eyes still closed. He lay down next to him and placed a hand on his bare chest, causing his eyes to flutter open and their gazes to meet. Max opened himself up and Giovanni nestled himself into the embrace.  
“That was amazing” He said, his hand resting on the young queen’s waist. Giovanni nodded in agreement, lowering his head into his chest. Max kissed the top of his head several times before he raised his head to meet his eyes once more.  
“I never want to lose you again Max” Giovanni rested his hand on the side of the older man’s face. He looked scared and Max never wanted to see him scared again. He closed the small gap between them, connecting them by a gentle loving kiss.  
“I’m not going anywhere” He said, pushing a section of black hair out of his face.  
“But you will in the morning” He looked up so hopefully, his eyes could make Max do the things he was afraid to most.  
“Then I’ll move in here” A shocked expression took over Giovanni’s face.  
“What?” He sat up, leaning on his arm to hold him up as he looked down on Max who had relaxed back down on the pillow, a smile on his face. “Max, you’re not serious. I know we talked about it and I would be so happy if you did but are you sure?” Max loved to watch him ramble. It had made him smile during filming, it had let him see the vulnerable man he who had captivated him so much. The side of the man he hadn’t seen in the clubs before they were locked in a soundstage together for hours upon hours a day.  
Max sat himself up so he was eye to eye with the man of his dreams “I’m as sure about this as I’m sure I’m in love with you Giovanni Palandrani”  He watched his love’s face as he took on his words, it was the sweetest smile Max had ever seen. A smile he would remember for the rest of his life.  
“I’m in love with you too” He barely got the words out when Max pulled him back down onto him, kissing him tenderly as they smiled and giggled between kisses. As they parted the two of them couldn’t stop smiling. Max got out of the bed to retrieve the blanket that had inevitably ended up on the floor. “How are we gonna fit two lots of drag into this place?” Gio said, looking around the room as Max pulled his underwear back on.  
“Worry about that later baby. Let’s just get some sleep, it’s like 4:30 in the morning” Max said, holding up Gio’s discarded undergarment for him only to have the young queen shake his head and lay back down on the bed, posing his flawless naked body as he got comfortable. Max let out a small chuckle at the sight, throwing the blanket over the perfect specimen in front of him as the events of the night ran through his mind. Gio pouted as he lifted the blanket on the empty space next to him, a delicate long finger beckoning Max back to the bed. As soon as Max was back, he opened his arms for Giovanni to fit himself perfectly in his embrace. Holding his body bare against him, Max looked at the thin gold chain on the back of Giovanni’s neck. He placed a kiss on the nape of his neck, below the clasp, knowing that his name was written around this perfect person’s neck. He was his. They were each other’s.  
“Goodnight baby” He whispered softly, knowing that Gio was almost asleep in his arms.  
“I love you Max” He said sleepily without opening his eyes.  
“I love you too” He said as he drifted off peacefully for the first time in months, he heard his phone buzz in the kitchen. Monet was going to have a field day when she heard about this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they're back in each other's lives for the long haul, Max and Gio have to have some serious conversations about their futures, including telling the important people in their lives (if they don't get caught first)

Max woke up to the smell of coffee filling the room. His eyes fluttering open to the view of Brooklyn through the window across from him. The light was dim as pale grey clouds rolled over the skyline. He smiled, closing his eyes as he buried his face into the pillow again, remembering what lead him to waking up here. He could smell Giovanni’s cologne on the sheets, he enveloped himself in the masses of fabric as he stretched out. To say he felt like he was in a state of full bliss was an understatement, this is what he had dreamed of for so long and it was now his reality. The sound of footsteps on the wooden floor brought Max out of his day dream. “Good morning” Giovanni softly cooed as he entered the room, cups of coffee in hand. Max couldn’t help but smile as he looked him over. From the slouchy sweatpants that sat on his hips, to the messy black hair that was pushed to the side but standing upright on his head, he was still perfect. He smiled a wide grin and blushed as he watched Max look him over, he could see a sense of pride in his gaze as Max propped himself up on his elbows.  
“Good morning” Max replied, his raspy morning voice making Giovanni blush even harder. Of course he had to sound and look so attractive even when he’s just woken up. He handed the older man one of the mugs of coffee. He leant down to give him a gentle kiss, feeling him smile against his lips.  
“You should probably call Katelyn” He said as he settled down on the bed next in front of him. Max looked at him confused. “She called you about half an hour ago” Gio gestured to the phone on the bedside table. “I would have answered it but, I like, I didn’t want to explain this to her and I don’t know what she thinks of me right now and I wouldn’t want her to find out this way-“ a hand of his knee stopped his rambling.  
“Baby, while I love your rambling, it’s fine. I’ll just text her back” He picked up his phone from the bedside. Gio was right, he had 2 missed calls from Katelyn and had multiple missed texts from Monet and Katelyn.

Katelyn 10:35am: Missed Call  
Katelyn 10:37am: Missed Call  
Katelyn 10:38am: Hey I just woke up and saw your note  
Katelyn 10:38am: You ok?  
Cracker 11:13am: Hey, yeah sorry, I ducked out. I’ll be home later. I’m all good.

He then looked at the texts from Monet.

Monet 3:30am: Everything OK Cracks  
Monet 3:45am: Hey Crack, you alright  
Monet 3:50am: Let me know how it went with Aquaria

He let those be, he didn’t know how to reply right now. He put the phone down and picked up his coffee, sighing as the hot liquid warmed him up from the inside.  
“So, last night was really nice” Giovanni said into his mug.  
Max smiled at this cute moment of vulnerability. “Last night was incredible” The comment brought Gio’s eyes back up to him as Max drank more of his coffee. “In fact, I feel like I owe you brunch”  
“We could just say lunch, it’s already past 11 and we won’t leave here till at least 12” Gio nervously rambled in between sips.  
“Yeah but there’s something cuter about taking your boyfriend to Sunday brunch” Max said nonchalantly even though he knew he had sent Gio into a mental spin, he could tell as he watched the words process through his lover’s head.  
“I’m your boyfriend now?” Giovanni said with bashful glee.  
“I mean, yeah” Maybe he had been too presumptuous “I mean I was assuming because you asked me to move in and never leave and last night-“ Max was cut off by a giggle escaping Giovanni’s lips.  
“Now my boyfriend rambles as well” Gio smiled at him softly as he leant in for another gentle kiss. They could both feel the differences in this kiss from the ones last night. Last night had been rushed and forceful and passionate. It wasn’t like either of them didn’t feel that heat, they both did but right now there was something else as well. This kiss was also passionate but it was soft, loving, comforting, it was like being home. Max took the empty mug from Giovanni’s hand, placing it with his also empty mug on the bedside table.  
“Come here” Max opened his arms and Giovanni sat down on his lap with his legs around his waist as he rested his hands on the older queen’s muscular shoulders. Max wrapped his arms around his waist, holding them close to one another. “What’s wrong baby? You look so nervous” He gently rubbed circles on the young man’s back in an attempt to make him feel more comfortable.  
“It’s just that” He paused looking for the right words to say. He put one hand on this side of his face, playing with Max’s hair. “This feels like a dream Max” All of a sudden he wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pulling them into a tight hug. “I don’t want to wake up from this dream” he whispered into his neck as Max held him with a strong grip.  
“I know how you feel Gio, but hey” He lifted the young man’s head up, making sure he was looking him in the eye “You’re already awake and I’m still here” He placed a hand on the necklace on Gio’s chest “I’m not going anywhere. We have to go to work during most nights and it might take a while to move all my stuff over but I’m here” He pulled Giovanni into another kiss. “I love you” he said as he parted their lips, leaning their foreheads against one another.  
“I love you too” Gio replied with a giggle, happy once more. Max had this ability to make him feel so secure and stable for the first time since he got to New York. He could be himself with Max. He didn’t have to be so on all the time around Max. He didn’t need to hide behind Aquaria. Giovanni loved being Aquaria. She was confident and sexy and the light the party. People came out to see her, people paid her to be at parties. Everyone seemed to want a piece of her, but this always made him feel like they were only there for her. But it wasn’t like that with Max, and that made him so easy to be around.  
“We should probably get ready if we ever want to get food” Max said, planting a kiss on Giovanni’s cheek “Mind if I use your shower?” Giovanni scooted off his lap to let him get up from underneath him. Max lent in for another kiss as he stood up.  
“Brush your teeth while you’re in there” Giovanni said between kisses “You taste like morning breath and coffee”  
Max laughed “Yeah well you don’t taste much better, and you smell like last night’s sex” He planted one more kiss before walking over to the adjacent bathroom.  
“You know you love it” Giovanni teased.  
“Touché” Max said over his shoulder as he slipped through the doorway.  
“I’ll go grab you a towel” He went into the living room to fish for a towel through his clean laundry while he heard Max start the shower, the sliding rings of the shower curtain ringing through the apartment. Giovanni finally was able to find the 2 towels amongst all his clothes. He only really bothered to do laundry at the point at which he had next to nothing to wear and these 2 towels definitely could be washed more. He would need to buy more towels for when Max moved in, he thought to himself and smiled. He would need to get another shoe rack and another set of storage for all of Miz Cracker’s things. It was a small place but they could make it work. As Giovanni entered his bedroom he heard the lock on his front door turn.  
“Aquaria! You home?” It was Jordan, this wasn’t the first time he’d regretted giving him the spare key to the apartment. Giovanni started to panic knowing that the next place Jordan would check would be the bedroom. He quickly picked up Max’s clothes from the floor and rushed into the bathroom. He dumped Max’s clothes under the towels on the floor and slid out of his sweatpants before pulling back the shower curtain, quickly getting in the shower, and being as quiet as possible while pulling the curtain back.  
“what are you doing-“ Giovanni put his hand over Max’s mouth to silence him. He wished he could explain everything to him, while the suds trailed down from his head, but he did not have time. As if on cue there was a knock on the bathroom door.  
“Aquaria! Are you in there?” Jordan’s voice called out and it clicked for Max as to what was happening. Giovanni slowly took his hand away from his mouth, bringing a finger to his mouth just to make sure he knew to be quiet.  
“Of course I am Jordan! Who else do you think would be showering in my apartment!” Giovanni had to stop himself from laughing at the expression on Max’s face at the choice of words his partner had used. The bathroom door opened, a look of panic crossing both men’s eyes and Giovanni blessed the day he picked opaque black shower curtains. “Can I not even shower in peace anymore” He whined through the shock.  
“Calm down, I could barely hear you through the door”  
“Jordan I am naked” he said, clapping his hands between each word.  
“Relax, I’ve seen you tuck too many times to want a peak at what you’ve got going on down there” Gio rolled his eyes as he didn’t even need to see Jordan to tell that he had been looking in the mirror this whole time. “I just wanted to make sure you were ok, you didn’t reply to any of my messages”  
“Yeah well you know that I got home safe” Giovanni said as he ran his hands through Max’s hair as he leaned back into the stream of the water to get the shampoo out. The shorter queen held back a moan as his lover massaged his scalp.  
“TBH you’re lucky I even remembered you messaging me that. I’m that hungover” There was a short silence. “Did you talk to Cracker?” Max’s face perked up at the mention of his name.  
“Maaaaybe” Gio drew the word out, running a hand over Max’s chest. Technically he did talk to Max last night but definitely not in the way Jordan was thinking.  
“G” He sighed “It’s a bad idea, you’re just gonna break your heart even more. You’ve not been you since the two of you stopped talking, it’s” Jordan paused “it’s weird. And I’m not the only one who’s noticed it. Amanda, Linux, Suzanne, they’ve all asked me if you’re ok. You leave parties at like 2am, you never did that before. You certainly didn’t cry in the dressing rooms for hours over some guy”  
Giovanni turned to the curtain, as though he was looking Jordan straight in the eye. Max could see his jaw tense. “I do my job. I’m paid to show up and perform, and I do that”  
“I never said you don’t do your fucking job, ok, calm your tits. I’m just saying that we’re worried. This whole Cracker situation has really fucked you up. I couldn’t get you to stop crying last night. No one could. All because you keep thinking there’s a chance for you and him and he keeps ignoring you” Giovanni tightened his fists about to snap. Max put a hand on his chest, feeling his heart pounding inside. It was a simple gesture but it calmed the young man, who raised his own hand to meet Max’s over his heart.  
“Look, I know Monet sent him over and we spoke. I’m actually going to have lunch with him today” He looked over at his shorter lover and smiled “We have some things to sort out”  
“Oh my god. Are you serious?” Jordan exclaimed.  
“I’m very serious” He squeezed the other man’s hand. Max noted how his heart rate had returned to a normal pace.  
“Promise me that if this doesn’t work out you’ll stop obsessing over this. You’re gonna have to work with him a lot even if he tells you to fuck off”  
There was a long silence as Giovanni and Max shared a smirk.  
“Only if you promise to give him a chance if this works out”  
“Oh god! You still think you have a chance of getting that dick” Jordan laughed. Max bit down hard on his lips to stop him from cackling, a hand covering his mouth for good measure.  
“Stranger things have happened!” Giovanni laughed back.  
“You’re right, you’re right” Jordan’s phone chimed as he spoke “Ah shit, I got to go. Let me know how it goes with Cracker. I want all the details, even the kinky ones if you get that d” He yelled that last part as they heard him leave the room. Giovanni rolled his eyes knowing that Jordan wouldn’t let this go and he would have to inevitably tell him some details. Max turned off the water briefly so they could listen for what was happening in the other room. They didn’t even move until they heard the front door shut and Jordan clumsily play with the lock until the latch caught. Both of them let out a sigh of relief before dissolving into a fit of laughter, holding onto one another and looking over each other’s smiling faces.  
“That was a close one” Giovanni said, putting a hand on Max’s bicep.  
“Ok ok, let’s get out of here. It’s so cold it’s almost an innie” Max said still smiling as the younger man stepped out of the shower. “ok you can stop staring” He turned away laughing as he caught the young queen’s lingering eye.  
“It’d take a lot to make that an innie” Giovanni playfully kicked up his back leg as he left the bathroom, wrapping a towel around his waist as he went. Max dried himself off quickly as he had done a lot of air drying as they waited for Jordan to leave. He pulled on his underwear and his jeans, looking at himself in the mirror as he took the towel to his dripping hair. He tied the long hair on the top of his head into a small bun. He walked into the bedroom to look for his shirt from the night before, finding it crumpled on the floor half under the mirror. He looked over at his young lover who was now in a tight pair of black jeans and an equally tight black sweater. He put the shirt on, buttoning it up in the mirror as Giovanni walked over, wrapping his arms around his waist and leaning down to rest his head on Max’s shoulder.  
“Baby it’s cold out, do you wanna borrow one of my sweaters?” Giovanni asked as his hands ran over the thin fabric of the white button up.  
“As if you have anything that’ll fit me” Max laughed as the other man crossed the room, rummaging through a drawer before taking out a navy sweater.  
“This should fit” Max obliged and pulled the sweater over his head, it fit like a glove. He readjusted it, tucking in his shirt and the front of his sweater into the waistband of his jeans. He leant down and smelt the fabric. It smelt like Gio. “See it looks better on you than it ever did on me” He gave Max a quick kiss.  
“You may never get this back” He laughed “You ready to go?”  
“I just gotta put my shoes on” Gio eventually found both of his boots with Max’s help. They hadn’t been exactly thoughtful with how they discarded their clothes last night, one boot was near the door and one ended up under the bed somehow. “You don’t mind that these have a heel do you?” Giovanni called out to Max, who was in the kitchen grabbing his wallet, he remained sitting even though he had done up the zippers.  
“Why would I care, It’s not like I’m not used to being the short one” He said walking over and leaning against the bedroom door frame.  
“I don’t know, some people don’t like it when I’m taller than them and these add like 3 more inches and guys have told me before that they feel weird about it-“  
“Gio” Max cut him off by crouching in front of him and placing one hand on the young queen’s knee “I don’t care. I just want you to be you” They both smiled and stood up, Giovanni leant down to plat a gentle kiss on Max’s lips. “See, everything still works” Max said, smiling up at him. Gio threw on a green tartan blazer and quickly found his phone, wallet and keys. After what seemed like forever, they finally left the apartment. As Giovanni checked his pockets one final time at the top of the stairs, Max waited for him at the bottom. He extended his hand out to Giovanni and the young queen squealed with excitement.  
“Oh my gosh we’re that couple!” He exclaimed as he took Max’s hand, swinging their arms as they walked to the café only a few blocks away. Max couldn’t help but only fall deeper in love as he listened to Gio talk about everything he loved about where he lived. He looked at the people walking around them, no one batting an eye at the two of them walking along hand in hand to the train. He couldn’t imagine how life could get any more perfect than it was right now, and that made him nervous. 

Seated and served in the little café, not too far from the river in Williamsburg, the two men sat in a comfortable silence on their phones as they waited for their food to arrive. Giovanni playfully ran his foot along his partner’s calf repeatedly, noticing the bashful smile that grew on his face. Max took a sip of his coffee before raising his eyes to see his young lover, so content and smiling all well knowing he was being looked at.  
“Are you always like this?” He asked  
“What do you mean?” He didn’t stop the gentle brushing of his leg.  
“You know, so-” Max paused, he was the type to think things through to an unnecessarily point “for lack of a better word I’m going to say, intimate”  
Giovanni laughed “Cute also works” he was right, Max thought, that did work “and yes, yes I am” He said with a wink as the waitress brought over their food. They were both a lot hungrier than either of them expected and they demolished most of their meal in a matter of minutes. “So I was thinking” Giovanni said, taking a bite of toast.  
“Well that’s new” Max said, taking the opportunity to make a joke while Gio was chewing.  
“I’m serious” He replied with a grin at the silly dig “One of my friends is getting rid of some clothes racks and I could just move my nice stuff onto one of them in the bedroom near the window so then you can have half the closet and we can get another small set of drawers for anything else” It all came out as one long sentence and Max was relieved when the young queen finally took a breath in a brief pause.  
“Wow you weren’t kidding ‘bout the thinking thing huh” chuckling as he reclined back in his chair, his arms crossing over his chest as he smirked.  
Giovanni didn’t even hear him as he continued “and we could just move the drag into the living room because I don’t mind having it out in the open and we could set up little hers and hers makeup stations where we can get ready together”  
“Like old times” Max said, causing Giovanni to smile as he remembered them getting ready in the workroom, where they got past their dumb problems, where they encouraged one another once more. Max reached across the table and took the young man’s hand, squeezing gently “That sounds amazing…but-”  
“Oh god what’s the but” His face dropped, taking his hand out from under Max’s.  
“No it’s nothing like that” He realized how bad that sounded “It’s just that, we work different gigs in different places, with very different people. We’re both drag queens but I leave the gig at 1 or 2 most night, your night’s barely started by then sometimes”  
“I leave my normal gigs at the end of my performances most times”  
“You also party on a Tuesday” Max had a point. Giovanni had kept himself within a tight knit group of friends and club kids that it took until this point for him to really think about how different his and Max’s lives could really be.  
“I know but, I have a feeling a lot of that is going to change in a few months” He took his hand again.  
“What do you mean?” He was genuinely confused. “I’m not expecting you to change Aquaria for me. I would never ask that”  
“God no, I would never tbh. It’s just that” He looked around the packed café. “Can we go on a walk to talk about this, you know, where there’s less people” Max agreed, picking up the tab at the register as Giovanni put his blazer on and waited outside. Once outside Giovanni offered his hand in the same way that Max had done earlier. A comforting parallel in the older queen’s mind. “So what I was trying to get at was that once the show airs, our lives are gonna change so fast. We’re used to going to the same clubs and bars on the same day week after week and that’s just not going to be our lives anymore” Giovanni smiled as he said this, the endless possibilities exciting him while also keeping him on edge. They had made it to the river, sitting on a bench to continue this conversation. As Max folded his legs Gio’s hands rested on his knee, the young man leaning in towards him “Baby we’re going to be booked in different cities every night. We could be in multiple countries in a week.” He looked around again, apart from people in eye range they were alone, and anyone walking by wouldn’t catch enough to understand what they were talking about. He squeezed Max’s hand. “You made top 5 Maxwell Heller, and I don’t know where I’m going to end up but our lives are going to change. People will know who we are, people will buy shirts with our faces on them. Max we’re going to have money” Giovanni looked to Max like a child who’s dreams had just come true.  
“But we still have to wait like 6 more months until it airs” Max didn’t mean to sound pessimistic, he was just being realistic about their current situation. He watched as the smile in front of him dropped, the wide eyes begin to think, and then both of them combining into a comforting middle ground.  
“So we make what are lives are now work for now, and we make the craziness of what comes after work then. I’ve seen this show and everything that comes with it can ruin a relationship before and I do not want to see that happen again” They shared a sweet smile. Giovanni was being so open; he could tell he was on the verge of tears. They both knew how much the other would work for the sake of this relationship. Max pulled him into him, the young queen burying his head against his chest. He rubbed circles on his back, feeling his spine through the fabric as he had curled up to be in this position.  
“I hate to ruin the moment but imagine if you’re eyebrow came off right now” Max couldn’t help himself, the second he thought it he had to say it. The two of them dissolved into a fit of laughter, the young queen collapsing into his lap and looking up at him, both eyebrows still immaculately drawn on. Max ran his hands through his hair, the young man’s eyes closing at the sensation. He looked so peaceful again.  
“Can you even imagine what it’s going to be like to have money and not have to put everything you have left into your next look” He said, eyes still shut.  
“It’ll be nice to not have to pick between dinner and fabric” Max said looking out to Manhattan’s lower east side across the river, as Gio’s eyes fluttered open once more he caught what he was looking at.  
“Come here” He stood up taking Max’s hand and walking him over to the railing. “It’s not going to be living or drag anymore. We can go out, we can buy things that we want but don’t need” He leant against the railing looking out across the river, putting his arms around the shorter queen’s shoulders, who responded by wrapping his arm around Gio’s slender waist to pull them against one another. “We can get a nicer place where we can give the ladies their own room if we really wanted to. We could even move out of Brooklyn if you wanted to go back to Manhattan” Giovanni knew the right things to say. He looked so hopeful, Max stared into his eyes and just had to grin, bringing an equally wide smile to the young queen’s face. Max loved the way he looked when he smiled.  
“Either way we’re going to make this work, and you know why?” He turned them so that he was now against the railing, his arms around Giovanni’s thin frame. The young man placed his arms around his shoulders, deepening their embrace.  
“Why?” He teased cockily.  
Max let out a breathy laugh “Because I love you, and don’t you ever think otherwise”  
“I love you too” He cooed back “I know I seem really excited but I just can’t wait to start our life together” At that phrase Max reached up onto his tip toes and kissed him. They held each other tight, mouths moving gently and slowly, in a deep and passionate exchange. “Max” He said breathlessly, pulling them apart “I think we should go tell Katelyn” Max nodded, she would need to find out anyway given that he planned to move out in the next week or two and the two of them telling her together made sense.

The subway rides to get back to his apartment had made Max all the more anxious. There was two ways this could go, she would either be thrilled for them or as weary as Jordan sounded when he was told about their lunch plans earlier today. His mind then went to Jordan and what he would think. He was very protective over Aquaria, always at her side, they were a pair, Gio’s Katelyn. This was honestly worse than meeting the parents. Max also couldn’t help but feel self-conscious about his apartment as he unlocked the door. Gio’s apartment wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t a lot at all and neither was Max’s. They got what they could afford on drag money that meant they technically lived in New York City. But Max had been to Giovanni’s apartment before, back in the days where him and 2 of his friends lived in the living room while what was now Gio’s small bedroom was their communal closet. This was going to be the first time his boyfriend saw his shitty little apartment. Max threw his keys on the little coffee table in front of him before taking a deep breath.  
“Katelyn?” He called out, getting no response. He knocked on her bedroom door, opening it when he got nothing again. He could see the bathroom was empty so she must be out. When he came back out to the living room he saw Gio over by his makeshift wig station, which really just meant that he had anchored his stand to his dresser. His apartment was small so Max’s bed and dresser were within a few feet of the dingy worn out sofa and the TV, and not much further away was the front door. The only thing that he had recently bought them to give him some privacy was 2 large IKEA bookshelves, which he also used as a backdrop when filming Review with a Jew. The shelves didn’t do much for sound but at least blocked his bed from being seen by the entire apartment. “I know it’s not much” He said as he stroked a flyaway back down on the wig that was still pinned into the stand. The younger queen knew he wasn’t talking about the stacked hair in front of them.  
“Max you don’t need to try and impress me” Giovanni leaned against the old dresser, letting up a bit when it creaked under him.  
“Trust me, this is not impressive” Max said, looking down “I guess I never thought that at 33 I’d be sleeping alone in a living room behind a bookcase while my best friend, who I give money to for being my assistant even though she doesn’t want me to pay her, pays for more than half the rent. That’s why she’s in the bedroom and I’m out here, because she pays for more of the rent so I can afford to do drag. Half the closet in that room is Cracker’s shit. Cracker’s scattered between Katelyn’s room and Bob’s apartment” the words flowed out of him, he wasn’t sure if it was because he was simply that comfortable around Giovanni that he felt he could pour his heart out to him, or if he was trying to save face in front of his new partner. He sat back on the bed with his head against the wall, looking defeated and definitely not looking at Giovanni. “I also would have never have guessed that my 21-year-old boyfriend would have his life more together than I did. Like you, you had it all figured out and I was still working a desk job and then drag saved me but I wasted so much time” Max choked up a bit and Gio’s heart sank for him.  
“Hey, no, no, no” He gently said as he climbed on the bed next to him, taking his hands and kissing them as he leant his head down on the older man’s shoulder. “Max you have got your life together. You have a career that you love that you’re about to be internationally recognized and loved for. You and Katelyn found what worked best for the two of you with your current situation. That’s what adults do. You remember what my place used to be like. We didn’t even have the bookcases to divide us, and trust me that didn’t stop some people if you know what I mean” That garnered a chuckle from Max “Sure, I knew I wanted to do this since I was in middle school but that doesn’t make you any less great babe. You were out there getting the experience and getting your name out there. You did that Max” He grinned as he gently poked his side, making him let out another chuckle.  
“See, it’s this mature shit that really shows that you were always meant to be a star” He leant his head down on the young man’s shoulder, an arm instantly wrapping around him to hold him tight. The other hand reached for his hand, a delicate finger resting on the ring he had been given the night before.  
“As were you” as Giovanni said this, Max lifted his head. The two of them looking at each other in silence, eyes moving from mouth to eyes and back again. It was Max who reached up to pull them into a kiss. This man he was kissing seemed to always know the right things to say. He was his perfect man. He wrapped an arm around his waist and lifted him off the bed and into his lap. Giovanni moving so he was straddling him without breaking the kiss, which was growing deeper and hungrier by the second with tongues dancing and the occasional bumping of teeth. Max pushed off Giovanni’s jacket before pulling his shirt over his head, exposing his muscular porcelain torso. His mouth moved to his collarbones, trailing over his chest, leaving no skin untouched before latching himself into the groove where neck met shoulder. Giovanni’s arms came up to hold Max against his neck, rolling his hips against his crotch as he let out a loud deep moan which shocked both of them. They paused for a second before the younger queen all but ripped the sweater and shirt from his partner’s body, pulling them back to one another while running his hands over the exposed flesh and moving Max’s hands down to his now bare ass. Max didn’t know how but without breaking the rhythm of their kiss, Giovanni had also taken off his shoes and his pants and was now rocking against him in just his jockstrap. Once again his underwear wasn’t doing a great job of concealing how hard he was. Max could tell he wanted it badly as hips continued to roll against hips and whimpers escaped as he dug his fingers into his perfect ballerina butt, kneading the soft skin before the younger man let out a desperate moan. “come on Max, it’ll be quick”  
He had teased him long enough. He turned him around so his back was against Max’s chest. He ran his hands over the younger queen’s torso, relishing the feeling of each toned muscle his fingers met. He pulled off his underwear, discarding it to the floor with the rest of their clothes. He wrapped a hand firmly against the base of his erection, which lay against Giovanni’s toned stomach hard as a rock. He slowly stroked along the entire shaft, gradually picking up pace. As he moved his hand, one now cupping his balls as well, Gio craned his neck to shower his lips and jaw with kisses. He could feel he was getting close as the rocking against his hips picked up pace. Max brought his mouth down Giovanni’s shoulder as he moved out from underneath him, making him whine at the loss, before moving in front of him. He grabbed both his legs, pulling him down the bed, the younger man’s head now on the pillow. He teased him at first, running his tongue over the tip of his erection, smiling as he saw Gio ball up the sheets in his fists as he tried to hold on. Taking the length into his mouth inch by inch and swirling his tongue in the process, knowing his young lover could go any second. Giovanni reached down for Max’s hair, removing the elastic that held his bun in place, as his hips moved in time with the other man’s rhythm. As he grabbed a tight grip of the newly free hair Max hummed a long moan as the pressure against his zipper grew by the second. The sensation of the vibration from his partner’s lips and throat was too much for Giovanni. “Babe I’m-” Max put a reassuring hand on the young queen’s, which was still holding on tight to the sheet. With one final pass up and down his shaft he came, his hips lifting off the bed and pushing himself further down Max’s throat before buckling under the sensation. Max made sure no drop went to waste as he watched Gio come down from the high, the adorable smile creases appearing back on his face. He lay down next to him, Gio’s long limbs wrapping around him as his head rested on the pillow. With his breath now back to a normal pace, Giovanni’s fingers traced their way up his partner’s body as he trailed kisses up his chest to his neck. He loved the way Max smiled at him while his arms held his naked body close, drawing patterns on his waist. Max marveled at the sight of him with one long leg draped over his legs and his back arched, creating the most stunning shapes.  
“You have no idea how gorgeous you look right now” He whispered into his black hair.  
“I mean……...I kind of do have an idea” Giovanni admitted, the two of them laughing. Max got up and quickly went into the living room, coming back with an old polaroid camera.  
Giovanni laughed, covering his crotch with the sheet as Max took photo after photo. He stood on the bed as the young man below him posed, the photos falling as they were taken and landing around him on the bed as he looked up into the camera.  
“Ok ok” Gio said whilst laughing at the man above him, stopping this impromptu photo shoot “That film must cost a fortune” Max crouched down and kissed him gently.  
“Worth every penny” He whispered between kisses. Giovanni took the camera from Max’s hands and held it high above them, capturing the moment. He liked that all of these photos were going to be physical one off’s. There was something so romantic to him about that. Max laughed as Giovanni took another photo, hoping to capture Max’s smiling face looking at him so adoringly. “Leave it to the 21-year-old to take a selfie right now” He stood up at the end of the bed, collecting the photos off the bed as he spoke. Giovanni got onto his knees so he was in front of him still on the bed. Max took the camera, leaving it on the dresser before he wrapped his arms around his young love once again. Gio’s hands trailed down his body as their lips reconnected softly, removing his belt and undoing the fly that had been constricting him for so long. Gio smiled against his lips as his hand slipped into his pants and cupped the older queen’s crotch.  
“I think we have time” Max teased, the two of them smiling at one another. Something about Giovanni brought out the playful, sex crazed, younger side of him again and he really was not about to complain about that. Just as Giovanni trailed kisses towards Max’s belt line, they both froze at the sound of a door closing and keys landing on coffee table. It wasn’t the usual sound the keys made. It was more of a, I’m going to throw these down from a great height so I know you know I can hear you, kind of way. Of course this was how this would happen. The two men held back their laughs, whilst mortified that they were almost walked in on.  
“Maaaax” Katelyn drawled out trying not to laugh. Her voice not much louder than a regular speaking level. Almost as though she would have just walked into her room and pretended she didn’t know her best friend was having sex in the room next door if he hadn’t heard her. Max frantically did up his pants as best he could and grabbed the first thing he could grab to cover his erection in front of his friend. “Hey Katelyn” He said stepping out from behind the bookshelves before he froze. “Hey Monet” there was a pause as Katelyn and Monet gave him an all too knowing look. “What are you doing here?” he asked, stepping further into the living room. Monet and Katelyn met him in the middle of the room, Monet bending down to talk to him in a softer voice. Katelyn looked really confused about what to do and just looked between Monet and Max waiting for someone to say something.  
“Look I know this is kind of weird and I don’t know how much you heard” Max started, his eyes darting around as he tried to pick his words correctly.  
“We literally just got in” Katelyn interjected.  
“Yeah Cracks, turns out you didn’t have as much time as you thought” Letting out a classic Monet X Change chuckle. “We can leave if you have trade over girl” Monet poking him in the ribs.  
“It’s not exactly like that” He tried to say but Monet kept talking  
“I just wanted to check up on you and ask how it went with Aquaria”  
“I kinda need to tell you both something about that” He put his free hand on Katelyn’s arm, and looked at Monet, both of them thoroughly confused. “I went over to his place and-”  
“It went reeeeeal well!” Gio’s voice called out from the bedroom. Monet grabbed his arm so hard Max thought it would break as both Monet and Katelyn’s jaws hit the floor. “Heeeeeey guys” Gio said as he popped out from around the corner and leaned against the bookshelf, with one of the blankets wrapped around his waist to keep him decent. They were all stunned. Max had to give it to the kid, what he did do take nerve.  
“You could have put some pants on” Max said, he couldn’t help but smile at the ridiculous way this was unfolding. Monet and Katelyn just kept looking between them and then to one another, as though to make sure they were seeing the same thing.  
Giovanni bit his lip and tried to hold back a laugh “You’re um, kinda holding my pants” Max looked down, he had in fact been holding Giovanni’s pants over his crotch for the past 3 minutes and no one had clocked it. At this point Monet lost it in a fit of laughter.  
“OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! CRACKS! WHAT THE FUCK!” He was halfway across the room now still laughing to the point at which his mouth was open but no sound was coming out other than the occasional squeal as he all but ran around the tiny apartment. Katelyn also couldn’t help but laugh as she looked at the two of them, putting her shocked but smiling face in her hands.  
“What the fuuuuck is going on” She sat back on the couch that Monet had just crashed down on still laughing like a mad man, limbs flailing.  
Max knelt down behind the couch where his 2 best friends where on the verge of peeing themselves with laughter “Can we just have like a minute to put on-“  
“GO” Katelyn said through her laughter.  
“Yeah Aquaria cover up that dick!” the other queen yelled. Aquaria smiled, going red as Monet set off another laughing fit, hitting the couch as he cackled.  
Giovanni dropped the blanket once they were behind the bookcases again, turns out he had at least put his underwear back on. Max handed him back his pants.  
“You all good” Gio asked as he pulled his pants up.  
“It basically tucked itself when I saw Monet” Gio let out a breathy chuckle as Max pulled the sweater over his head and started looking for a hair tie in his bedside table.  
“I meant are you all good with how that went” He had slipped his shirt back on and stood up to wrap his arms around Max’s waist.  
“I literally could not find the words, I was not expecting Monet to be there” He turned the last tie, bringing his arms down to rest his hands on his boyfriend’s biceps. They could still hear Monet laughing in the other room, Max slumped his head against Gio’s chest, noticing that he had left his necklace on the outside of his sweater this time.  
“I think she’s taking it well” The young queen said, kissing the top of his head. “They love you babe, they’ll only want for us to be happy” Max looked up and gave him a quick peck on the lips before taking his hand in his.  
“Ok” He took a deep breath “Let’s go do this” They walked out and Katelyn, the sweetheart that she is, had gone into her room and gotten the chair from her desk to open the couch up and create extra seating. They turned once they heard the two queens enter the room again. The couch was small so Max sat on the seat with Gio behind him on the arm. There was something so comforting about the way he placed one hand on his shoulder, rubbing his thumb along the back of his shoulder.  
“So I guess we know where you’ve been all night Cracks…and aaaall day” Monet said as he slapped Max’s knee, unable to hold back that Wookie laugh. Katelyn hit him gently in the arm to tell him to knock it off. She could tell how tense Max was about this.  
“Why don’t you 2 just explain to us what is happening” She said, with a smile.  
“Ok so as you know, Monet asked me to go over there because Aquaria had been upset at the gig and left early, so I went over and-” He turned to his boyfriend and took his hand, he knew this was about to get deep “There’s a lot you guys don’t know because I haven’t said anything and it’s kind of important. All you 2 know is that we haven’t exactly seen eye to eye since the show finished taping”  
“Yeah you guys were all buddy buddy, and honestly kinda flirty, in the workroom. And then you couldn’t stand each other again. We’re all real confused” Monet said, excited that he would finally get answers.  
“We hooked up during the show” Giovanni chimed in.  
“WHAT!” Monet blurted out “WHEN!”  
“3rd day of filming” Max said, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks as Katelyn’s eyes widened. “MY MAN!” Monet reached over his head and high fived Giovanni, who proudly accepted the gesture. “dude when I say people were noticing that you two were friendly I didn’t even clock that we meant FRIENDLY”  
“We continued that part of it” Max watched Monet smirk at him, wiggling his brow at the couple “BUT, we also spent a lot of time together and opened up a lot and-”  
“We started falling for each other” Max turned to see nothing but love looking back at him as Giovanni finished his sentence.  
“and then when Gio got back home-”  
“GIO!” Monet exclaimed “I’m sorry please continue” He said grabbing a pillow and holding it against his chest like a child.  
“Then when Gio got back home there was a dumb misunderstanding where I thought he was hooking up with Jordan-”  
“Which I wasn’t” Giovanni interjected just to make sure it was very clear.  
“Am I ever going to get this story out?” Max looked around the room, finally more comfortable and being himself again.  
“Sorry babe” Gio said quickly, bringing their hands up so he could kiss the ring, bringing an adoring expression to Max’s face, he couldn’t even be frustrated with him.  
“BABE!” He could be frustrated with Monet, Katelyn hit him again “sorry”  
“Yeah so because of that dumb misunderstanding, we didn’t speak, we were emotionally messed up because no one really knew what was going on. I wasn’t in a good place to begin with and that just got worse” His voice started to pick up and pace and volume. Two hands on his shoulders calmed him down.  
“And then Max came over to my place last night and we talked it out…and then we talked it out again you know what I mean” Him and Monet high fived again as Max and Katelyn shook their heads but couldn’t help but laugh.  
“See Cracks this is why you should always message me back” Monet said cockily. Giovanni leant down and wrapped his arms around Max’s shoulders, leaning his head against his.  
“Yeah thanks for making me go get my boyfriend back” He said to Giovanni even though it was directed at Monet. Giovanni smiled and gave him a quick kiss.  
“BOYFRIEND!” It was Katelyn this time who yelled out “oh my god!”  
“Wait! you aren’t just fucking! You’re actually gonna date???” Monet was in a full state of shock.  
“I’m actually going to move into his apartment this week” He was beginning to get as excited at his friends were.  
“You’re moving to Brooklyn?” “You’re moving out of the living room?” Monet and Katelyn clearly had different priorities.  
“Yep, he’s moving in with me” Giovanni slinked onto Max’s lap, landing a kiss on his cheek as Max held him close. Monet and Katelyn were still in shock at the idea of them moving in together.  
“Don’t you think that this is moving a little fast?” Katelyn looked concerned, for both of them. She had known both of them for a long time but Gio didn’t really know where he stood with her at this point in their relationship, a sense of distrust. She was looking at him when she asked the question which Max noticed.  
“I made the decision Katelyn” Gio’s head snapped back to Max, there was something in his tone that made him feel protected “We had mentioned it during filming jokingly but last night it hit me that it’s the right thing to do. I want to be able to spend as much time together as we can and know he’s going to be there when I wake up” He paused looking away from his friends to Giovanni where happy tears had glazed over his dark eyes. Monet brought a hand up to her chest, knowing what Max was about to say. “Because I love him”  
“I love you too” Giovanni said as he pulled Max in a for brief kiss.  
“I LOVE YOU GUYS TOO” Monet hugged the both of them. Gio stood up to let Monet shake Max around telling him how he told him so. Katelyn walked over to him looking up at him before pulling him into a hug too. Gio hugged her back tightly.  
“You were there when I first fell in love with him way back when” He whispered in her ear as he remembered all the times they had spent together in bars where he was too shy to ever tell Cracker how he felt but Katelyn had been the thing they had in common that let them get to know each other. She looked up at him and smiled.  
“You know I love you. I know you’ll treat him right” She winked and hugged him again. Max walked over to the two of them, pulling Katelyn in tight. The hug said it all.

The train ride back to Brooklyn was peaceful even with all the characters that the New York subway had to offer. They sat, hand in hand, Max’s head on Gio’s shoulder, talking about nothing and everything. Later that night as Max rested his hand rested on the waist of his boyfriend, who had fallen asleep in his lap while they were watching TV, he looked around the room. The two duffle bags that they had brought back to the apartment, containing all his boy clothes, making him think. He thought about how this room was about to be filled to the brim with both their drag wardrobes, most of it would be Aquaria but Cracker would make a sizable dent too. He looked over at the kitchen and thought about different meals he could use to impress Gio, even if it was bringing him breakfast in the morning. The soft candlelit glow coming from the bedroom reminded him of how they would wake up in each other’s arms each morning. He also thought about what this show airing would do to their relationship. How would it be edited. Would they hide their relationship from the public while the show aired; would they be asked to hide it by the producers if they found out. A gentle sleepy moan escaped Giovanni’s lips, bringing Max back to the moment. All these things he worried about were issues from the future. For now he just kissed his boyfriend awake and carried him off to bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Gio and Max's first Valentines, and with Gio's birthday just 2 days away, Max goes all out before their lives change forever. Get ready for a fluff filled chapter with, of course, a little smut ;) xx - Betty

Moving in together may have been the best decision Max and Giovanni had made in their lives. They had an almost perfect domestic life. In the weeks following them telling Katelyn and Monet, Max had moved Miz Cracker into Gio’s living room and they had turned the space into any queen’s ideal drag closet. With two incomes coming into the apartment, while it still wasn’t a lot of money, it gave them more financial freedom. Even if they usually spent their spare cash on little gifts for each other. They had been so eager to tell everyone about them being together that they quickly checked off their list. 

First, after Katelyn and Monet, came Jordan. As Aquaria’s best friend, and known pessimist of their chances, Max had been curious to see how he would react. While Max had wanted to be very serious and invite him over, just to be sure of how he found out or took the news. Gio knew there was no point in being so pedantic over Jordan, especially this early in the morning when he was still browless and Jordan would be recovering from whatever the hell he did that night. He quickly snapped a picture of them kissing in bed the following morning and sent it off.

Aquaria 10:03am: Picture sent  
Aquaria 10:03am: STRANGE THINGS DO HAPPEN!! I GOT ME A HOUSE HUSBAND BITCH!  
Stawecki 10:12am: BITCH WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!

Max had read the message over Gio’s shoulder, he was more concerned about what Jordan thought than his young boyfriend seemed to be.  
“Oh so I’m a house husband now?” He said as he wrapped his arms around Giovanni’s bare waist, nuzzling his chin onto his shoulder.  
“Hell yeah you are” Giovanni replyed, his voice low, turning around and pushing Max back onto the bed before lying on top of him and kissing him gently. A few moments later Jordan facetimed Gio, it only seemed right to accept the call at that very moment. They explained everything to him, the sight of them half naked and cuddled up in bed together saying a lot, and he took it well. Jordan and Max didn’t really know each other. To Jordan, Max was Miz Cracker, a 33-year-old queen from Harlem who did funny lip-syncs and who could really take a lesson in letting loose. To Max, Jordan was a just a young club kid who was also Gio’s best friend and assistant, who barely ever wore clothes and partied nonstop. In the following months they had learnt to get along quite well. At first it was like they were from different planets, but they soon just accepted that they were never going to be the best of friends and that that was alright as well. Don’t be confused, they were great to each other, they talked and laughed while Jordan sat on their couch with Katelyn as the 2 queens got ready for their gigs each night, and Max was always happy to brew an extra cup of coffee in the morning when Jordan passed out on their sofa. They just were not going to be the kind of people who would ever hang out alone. 

The fact that everyone was so happy for them added to the perfect transition into their joint lives. Max’s mom and sister were happy that he finally got a boyfriend that seemed serious about their relationship. In fact, they found Giovanni adorable and charming to be around. Gio’s family was a slightly mixed response. His mom was the first to find out, the two of them calling her the day they told Jordan. She could see how happy her baby boy was and she knew and trusted Max from years ago. His dad on the other hand had a very serious conversation with Max about his intentions with his son. Max had been expecting it from someone at some point. It’s not every day a 33-year-old man hooks up with and moves in with a younger man that he’s known since that man was 16 and illegally in a gay bar. In the end he did get Gio’s dad’s approval and that was good enough for Max. He knew that Gio and his sister were the pride of their dad’s eye and that he would be as critical of any guy who wanted anything to do with one of his babies. With families checked off they got to their Season 10 sisters. They had wanted to find a special way to tell them but Monet beat them to it.

Sponge Queen: Girls, Cracker and Aquaria have been shacked up IN BROOKLYN for 2 months now and these bitches are in luuuuuuuv

And then sent a picture of Max and Gio on the couch all cuddled up.  
“Really?” Max turned to Monet in their kitchen, Giovanni lifting his head of Max’s shoulder as he looked at his phone and also turned to the other queen.  
“You were taking too long, see now they know” Monet said, leaning on the small bench unable to hold back her smile. They looked back at their phones.

Vixen: Called it  
Mayhem: Ok what??  
Blair: Awwwww I’m so happy for them  
Eureka: oh my god  
Dusty: I’VE SEEN YOU GUYS LIKE 8 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME!!!!!  
Yuhua: oh damn Dusty they don’t tell us shit  
Kalorie: They look so cute!!!!  
Miss……Vanjie: GET IT BABIES!!!!  
Asia: someone get me a sponge imma cry this is cute  
Kameron: Wait Cracker, Aquaria, is this legit????  
Mayhem: Yeah or is Monet just tryin to stir up drama  
Sponge Queen: I would never  
Asia: Bitch yes you would  
Monique: You would, facts are facts  
Vixen: Where are the receipts  
Aquafina: Picture sent

Giovanni had sent them a photo Katelyn had taken of the two of them ice skating in full drag, hand in hand, sharing a quick kiss when they thought no one was looking. Max remembered that night. He had convinced Gio to join him before a gig, even though the young queen was positive he would break an ankle on the ice. Gio’s nerves were only heightened by the fact that everyone was watching the them, it’s not exactly normal to see two drag queens on ice no matter how fishy Aquaria may have looked. His nerves all went away the moment Max took his hand on the ice, his fears leaving him and his past ability to skate coming back. Max couldn’t help but smile at the photo. At that point the group chat blew up, they tried to respond but as usual the conversation was all over the place so they gave up. Everything went smoothly from then on. Until World of Wonder found out. They didn’t know how they found out or who told them that they were together but the instructions were pretty clear. Keep this to yourselves until after the show finishes airing. They didn’t know what else to do other than listen to the “advice” of the producers. Sure they could not listen to them and explain that this had all happened after filming but that would potentially go against the story line the show was putting out. Neither of them said it but they were both thinking about it; What if them publically dating ruined Aquaria’s chances at the crown. Max wouldn’t let Gio take that risk. He thought this would be their first fight since they got together but it wasn’t. They both knew that was the only option. Gio had held Max so tight that night, as though holding him now would make up for all the times he would want to but couldn’t hold him in public for the next few months.

They spent all the time together that they could before the cast got announced. The best time was over Giovanni’s 22nd birthday and Valentine’s day. Max had scraped together some money, he wanted to spoil him for his birthday and their first Valentine’s day together. With a little financial help from all their season 10 sisters and Bob, Max was able to surprise Gio with a 3 night stay in a house in upstate New York.  
“Happy Birthday my love” He whispered into Gio’s ear to wake him up, kissing him on the cheek while slipping a hand under his sweatshirt and caressing his waist and ribs. The younger queen stirred, turning in Max’s arms with a whimper before burying his head into his chest and tried to go back to sleep. He wrapped his leg around Max to hold them against each other.  
“Gio you need to get up baby” He smiled, pushing the black hair from his boyfriends face and kissing his forehead.  
“Nooooo” He whined again “Let’s just stay in bed all day”  
“Your breakfast’s going to get cold and I made you birthday pancakes and coffee for that hangover that’s probably pounding in your head right now” Gio turned over, flopping back onto the pillow.  
“Ugh don’t remind me, I’d say that’s the last time I let Jordan plan my birthday party but I know that’s a lie” Max and Jordan had spoken a few weeks ago and were able to convince Suzanne to throw his birthday party a day before his actual birthday. By having a party that people could post about on Gio’s actual birthday no one would question why he wasn’t out that night. This meant that Gio and Max could have the day off together. With both of them cancelling their Wednesday gigs, not wanting to miss their first Valentine’s day together either, this was a rare occasion where they both had 3 nights off in a row. Gio rubbed his eyes “Can you bring it to me in bed?” He asked, baby voice, puppy dog eyes, the works. Max couldn’t resist him when he was like this.  
“Ok” He got up “But I need you to be up, showered, and have a bag packed in the next 2 hours” He called over his shoulder as he left the room.  
“What? Why?” Gio checked his phone “Babe it’s fucking 11am. I got home at 5:30. No wonder I feel like shit” Max came back into the room, placing the tray on the bed next to him and handing Gio his cup of coffee with a kiss like they did every morning. And every morning it felt just as special as the last.  
“I know babe but you can sleep in the car, the drive’s gonna a couple of hours” Max said as he got up again.  
“What car!?” Max laughed at how confused Gio looked right now.  
“I’d love to tell you but it’s a surprise for your birthday and valentine’s day” Max watched as his face lit up as he let him in on what was happening.  
“Oh” He said quickly, bringing the cup up to his mouth and smiling bashfully before taking a sip “Ok then” He smirked as he put the cup down on the bedside and took a bite of the pancakes. “Oh my god these are really good babe” Max smiled and leant down, giving him a quick peck. Gio liked to compliment Max’s cooking whenever he could seeing as he would be eating ramen and sushi for every meal if he wasn’t there. Instead now they spent time together making their meals before gigs, or Gio sitting on the counter handing Max anything he needed to make their dinners. He now understood why Katelyn wanted him to cook so often.  
“Thank you. Oh by the way I packed a lot of your things you just need to pack 3 days’ worth of outfits. Think layers, indoor baseball tee..or less” He wiggled his eyebrows, both of them knowing clothes would be optional over the next 3 days “But outside it’s still mid-February New York and it’ll be snowing”  
“Can you just tell me where we’re going” Gio begged.  
“Nope” Max smiled before basically skipping out of the room, pleased with himself.  
Gio got ready and packed up the last of the outfits into a duffle bag. He went out into the living room where Max was finishing setting a wig for him into a dramatic Hollywood wave. Having a talented boyfriend who could style your wigs for free was an added perk to this relationship.  
“Ok I’m ready” He said with a grin, throwing his arms into the air and kicking up a leg. Max noticed he was wearing one of his sweatshirts and smiled. He loved when Gio took his things, he looked so cute and made his clothes smell like him.  
Max checked his phone. “And Bob is 2 minutes away, perfect” They made sure everything was put away and did their last minute checks for wallets, keys, phone chargers, before going down stairs where Bob was waiting on the curb.  
“Hey Bob” Gio called out, locking the front door as Max grabbed their bags.  
“Hey! Happy Birthday Aquaria” Bob threw Max the keys to pack the car before he pulled Gio into a hug “What are you? 14 now” Bob laughed at his own joke that Gio had heard a million times before.  
“Bob you’re gonna need some new material” Max said as he closed the trunk.  
“Hey that one never gets old, just like this one” He pointed to Gio, who rolled his eyes “Even I’ll admit that was a bad one” Gio smiled as Bob opened the passenger’s door “ma’ lady”.  
“Oh why thank you” He clutched the imaginary string of pearls around his neck as he stepped into the car, Bob closing the door behind him.  
“I guess we’ll see you on Thursday” Max said, walking around to the driver’s side.  
“Yep, you two better be back and ready in time for the gig”  
“Yeah Yeah, thanks for the car”  
As they drove out of the city Gio held out his hand on the middle arm rest. Max took it and rubbed circles into the back of his boyfriend’s hand as he drove along the highway. Gio still had no clue where they were going. The repetitive sight of the road and the exhaustion from the night before took over and within the first 30 minutes of the drive he was out cold.  
Max let him sleep for the 3-and-a-half-hour drive. Gio finally stirred awake as Max pulled the car into the carport out the front of the house, lifting his head off the window where he had rested it when he dozed off.  
“Where heeeere” Max cooed with a smile as Gio rubbed his eyes as a bright white light hit him. In front of them everything was covered in snow, and a decent layer of it too. “Take a look around while I get the things out of the car” He leant over and shared a brief peck with his confused boyfriend, passing him a thick jacket from the back seat. Gio stepped out of the car, putting on the warm jacket as quickly as he could in the freezing temperature, and took in the view. In front of him stood an elevated log cladded lake house with an immaculate garden that was dusted in snow. As Max closed the trunk of the car Gio made his way around the perimeter of the house stopping dead in his tracks as he looked down the side of the house.  
“Max! Are you kidding me!” He called back as saw the gorgeous frozen lake in front of him, the lawn in front of him covered in crisp white snow. He walked towards the lake, looking across at the trees that surrounded the large body of ice. He could see the neighboring houses but they were a good distance away. It was a clear bright afternoon, all the clouds parting as the sun began reflected off the snow at the perfect angle to make it shimmer. He turned when he heard soft footsteps behind him. He was unable to contain his grin.  
“Are you planning on coming inside or do you just wanna freeze your ass off” Max said as he walked towards him.  
“Max this is-”  
“Wait” Max said, interrupting him and taking him by the hand “you haven’t even seen the inside of the house yet” The smile on his boyfriend’s face sparked his excitement.  
“Oh my god, what have you done” Max smiled, knowing Giovanni wasn’t expecting this much for their time off together. He led him back to the front of the property, keeping up with his boyfriend’s quick pace. Gio was clearly excited to see how the inside compared to the exterior. Max opened the door and stopped Gio from entering “this may sound stupid, but I feel the need to carry you over the threshold like an old movie”  
“Obviously” Gio barely got the word out before Max scooped him up, Gio letting out a little squeal as he wrapped his arms around his neck as his feet left the ground. He leant in, both men smiling and giggling into the kiss.  
“Wow you really did freeze” Max interjected between kisses. “Close your eyes” he said parting their lips and using Gio’s dangling foot to push open the door. Giovanni did as he was asked and clung to Max as they stepped through the door, the heat from the inside of the house instantly washing over him and began to thaw him out. Max placed him down on the floor gently before closing and locking the door. “Ok, open” he said as he slid the heavy jacket off his currently blind boyfriend’s shoulders. Gio’s jaw hit the floor. He was standing in the entry way to a huge open plan room. Directly in front of him a living space with 2 big couches and a tv above an already roaring fireplace, which explained how it was so warm inside. To the right, a full sized kitchen with an island that sat in the center of the room, splitting the kitchen from dining area, where a long glass table shone in the light of the floor to ceiling glass behind it. The elevated view, this much higher up, made the lake in front of them even more stunning.  
“Is that a hot tub?” Gio turned to Max after noticing the large covered object that sat in one corner of the deck. Max nodded, smiling at his reaction. “Oh my god” Gio said as he stepped down into the living room and spinning to the kitchen “This room is bigger than our entire apartment” He looked over at what had looked like a hallway from the front door, but was actually a staircase. He ran up the stairs and emerged in a large, lavish bedroom where their bags were. A king size bed sat in the center of the baby blue room. Gio walked into the adjacent room and was met with a bathroom the size of their bedroom back in Brooklyn. There was a huge shower on the far right wall, a double vanity, and a large bathtub right in the center of the wall. As he walked back out of the bathroom he noticed that there was another fire place in the bedroom, directly across from the bed, clad in pale stone. It was the perfect romantic getaway for the two of them. “Max you’ve really done too much” He said as he stepped off the staircase back into the living room. Max was in the kitchen, 2 glasses of red wine in front of him while he assembled a small cheese platter, the lights had been turned off and the golden sun light streaming through the large windows illuminated the room. Max pushed the platter over to the bench side of the island as Gio walked up next to him. He wrapped his arms around his slender waist, the young man’s arms draping around his shoulders, looking up at his smiling face.  
“Do you like it?” Max said, self-consciously.  
Gio tilted his head, he was so adorable when he was in his head “are you kidding me? Max this is more than I would have ever expected. It’s so perfect” Gio leant down, connecting their lips. He felt Max smile as their mouths moved together, his strong hands holding them tightly against one another as they trailed over his waist down to his ass. Giovanni let out a soft moan. His phone began to ring in his pocket, he groaned, Max trailing his mouth down his jaw and neck as Gio took his phone out to check who was disrupting their moment.  
“It’s my mom”  
Max lifted his head from his boyfriend’s neck, knowing how badly his mom would want to wish him a Happy Birthday. “You should answer it” Gio looked back at him confused, they were just about to get it on. Max could read his mind at that point “We have plenty of time babe, we’ve got 3 nights here for all of that” He kissed him on the cheek as Gio gave in and answered the facetime call. Max went over to the fridge to get the ingredients for dinner out as Gio took a seat at the bench. He loved his mother with all his heart but why did she have to call at the very moment when he was starting to get hard.  
“Hey mom” He said with a smile as her face came up on the screen, he really did miss her.  
“Happy birthday sweetie!” Gina called out “I miss you, I love you, I hope you’ve had an amazing day. Your dad and sister say happy birthday too, guys say happy birthday to Giovanni” She turned the camera towards his father and sister who were sitting on the couch in their living room back in Philly.  
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIO” 2 voices called out.  
“Where are you honey?” His mom said, turning the camera back to herself.  
“Oh mom you have to see what Max’s done” He got up and gave his mom a full tour of the lake house “And you have to see this view!” he said as he came back down the stairs and walked over to the window “Can you believe?”  
“Oh it’s beautiful! Where is Max anyway?” Gina asked.  
“In the kitchen!” Max called out  
“as usual” Giovanni added as he walked over to the island, sitting back down at the bench. Both men picked up their glasses of wine, clinking their glasses before taking a sip. “Oh, oh wow that’s good wine”  
“Cost enough” Max laughed  
“Hi lovely!” Gina said as Gio angled the phone on the counter top so she could see both of them.  
“Hey mamaquaria” He said, stirring the pot on the stove with one hand and taking another sip of wine with the other.  
“What are you cooking honey?” Gina asked, she loved that Gio had found himself a man who could cook more than ramen and toast.  
“Oh, Gina you are going to LIVE for this birthday dinner, I went full Italian fantasy” Max picked up the phone. “Ok so first I bought a nice bottle of wine and made this cheese platter that your son is slowly attacking” He flipped the camera to let her see.  
“Hey!” Gio said, finishing a mouthful of cheese and crackers “I haven’t eaten since breakfast and this is really good”  
“He had breakfast at 11:15, don’t let him make you think I’d let him go hungry” Gio blushed, he was right. Max took good care of him in the food department. And every other conceivable department.  
“EXPOSE HER CRACKER” Gio’s sister called out from out of frame. Gio rolled his eyes, both men laughing as he reached over and fed Max a piece of cheese on a cracker.  
“mmmh so” He began, covering his mouth and finishing the bite before he continued “for the main course I’m actually using your risotto recipe you sent me, to give him a taste of home. I’ll try and do you justice but I make no promises”  
“I’ll let you know how he does mama” Gio interjected, making his mother laugh.  
“oh and then for dessert I spent 4 and a half hours last night, while he was out, making a Tiramisu completely from scratch. And let me tell you, that is not an easy dessert to make goddamn it” He playfully hit his hand against the countertop. “But it turned out so good” He said as he opened the fridge to show Gio’s mom his hard work.  
“Ohhhhh you’ve outdone yourself honey” Gina’s approval was such a touching thing to have. Max put the phone back down on the counter so he could get back to making their meal. “Giovanni you better treat this man right. I swear to god he’s a keeper if I’ve ever seen one”  
“You think I don’t know that mom” He couldn’t stop smiling. He really did know that Max was the one for him, no one had ever treated him so well. He went around the bench, picking up the phone so his mom could see him. He wrapped a hand around Max’s waist, resting a hand on the older queens hip as he continued to stir the pot, adding extra seasoning to the dish.  
“Baby can you taste this?” Max lifted the wooden spoon up with a small bite to Giovanni’s mouth. “It still needs to soften up a bit so focus on taste, not texture” Giovanni knew this meant a lot to Max. It was one of his favorite dishes him mom made back home, which made it even more perfect a choice for Max to make for him. He blew on it to cool it down before tasting the sample, the flavors dancing on his tongue.  
“MMMM that’s perfect” He gave him a quick kiss, aware they were still on a facetime call with his mother “Good job babe”  
“Is there anything Miz Cracker can’t do?” Gina said with a smile and a laugh.  
“That’s right. She can dance, she can play tennis, she can replicate a Palandrani family recipe. Shablam” Max was so happy that he got this right.  
“She can steal your heart” Max turned to face Gio who was looking at him adoringly.  
“Gina are you seeing this cute shit” Max said looking into the phone, if Gina wasn’t on the phone he would have taken him right then and there. She laughed, she thought they were so cute together and she could tell from the look in her son’s eye that he was madly in love.  
“Ok mom, we’re going to go and have dinner. I’ll talk to you soon” He placed his head on Max’s shoulder, careful to try and not get in his way  
“Bye honey! Have an amazing birthday. Max I would tell you to treat him right but I know you already are”  
“And I always will. Bye mamaquaria!” He said blowing her a kiss.  
“Love you both!”  
“Love you too mom bieeeeeeee” He dragged out as he hung up the call. He put the phone down on the bench before placing a second hand on Max’s hips, swaying them gently as Max added another ladle of water into the rice and stirred it in. Gio kissed his neck, trailing small delicate kisses up to his ear. “Is there anything I can help you with?” He murmured into his ear.  
“If you could set the table that would be great. This is almost done”  
“I can do that” Gio said planting a kiss on Max’s cheek. He quickly set the table and came across a collection of tea candles and holders. He placed 4 of them on the table and lit them, dimming all the other lights in the room to fill the space with the warm flickering glow. His heart fluttered as he noticed Max smile at the small romantic touch as he served the dish into their bowls. The sun had set a while ago but the bright light of the moon in the clear night sky lit the room around them where the candle’s light didn’t reach. They sat so close together when they ate. They always sat at the corner of the table, their feet almost always brushing the other one’s calf like Giovanni had done on their first real date at the café in Brooklyn. There was never a time when there was an uncomfortable silence in their conversations. Part of them not getting to spend as much time together every day meant there was always something to talk about.  
“When did you have time to make all this?” Gio said as he swallowed the last mouthful of tiramisu Max had fed him.  
“I prepared most of it last night while you were out and brought it with us. It was no big deal. I got more done than I thought I would because I didn’t know when you’d be home” Gio noticed something strange in the way he said that last part as he hurriedly picked up the dirty dishes and took them to the sink. Gio finished his glass of wine, gesturing to Max to see if he wanted another glass. He nodded as he rinsed the empty dishes. As Max was drying his hands Gio walked around the bench, handing Max his freshly filled glass before lifting himself onto the countertop.  
“Are you mad at me for going out last night?” Gio asked, looking down at his glass.  
Max paused before he said anything. “I’m not mad at you” He stepped towards Giovanni who opened his legs so Max could stand between them. Gio placed his arms around his boyfriend’s shoulders like he always did but quickly moved them, placing his hands on his biceps when Max didn’t wrap his arms around his waist like normal. Instead Max rested his hands on his thighs. By this point it was easy for Giovanni to tell when he was overthinking something, he just didn’t know what.  
“Are you mad at Jordan?”  
“No of course I’m not mad at him, I’m thankful that he went to the effort of planning it for yesterday instead of today. And I’m so happy you had a great time and came home so drunkenly happy. It’s just that-, never mind it’s dumb”  
Gio scooted a little closer, their torso’s less than 2 inches from meeting. “it’s ok. I just want to know what’s going on in your head” Max nervously ran his hands up and down Gio’s thigh as he contemplated if there was any point in bringing this up now. Gio watched the gears turn behind his eyes. Finally Max let out a sigh.  
“It’s just that I kind of wish I could have been there” He looked up at Gio who opened his mouth to say something but Max cut him off “And I know you’re going to say that I’ve never wanted to go to one before and they’re not exactly my crowd but this was different. It was your birthday party. I wanted to celebrate you publicly and sing out of key with your friends at you. I wanted to be that proud boyfriend that watches you get drunk and helps you get back home even if I had to carry you out of there” He looked away. If anything Max hated how emotional he was getting right now over this. “I mostly just wish I had been there to kiss you when midnight came around”  
Gio’s heart stopped beating, time stopping around him. No one had ever loved him like this. “Max” It came out as barely a whisper as his hand moved from his bicep to gently cup the side of his face, bringing his face back towards him. Gio leant down and brought their lips together, relishing in the moment Max’s arms wrapped tightly around his waist, pulling them together and running his hands over his back as their mouth moved against each other. They pulled apart, breathless. “You know I would have loved to do that last night” He said as he ran his hand through Max’s hair “We’re going to have a lot more birthday’s together where we can kiss each other at midnight” He was right. They only really had to be under the radar for a few more months and then if they got caught they got caught. “Plus, if you kissed me last night I don’t think I would have let you stop” He whispered in Max’s ear, the warm breath causing goosebumps to cover his body. Gio straightened up noticing the bumps raising on Max’s skin.  
“You would have been down to your wig in no time if you did that” Max smirked. Gio perked up seeing him back out of his head.  
“Oh so we’d be keeping the wig on would we?” He raised an eyebrow and wrapped his legs firmly around Max’s waist.  
“Of course. Give them a show at Aquaria’s party” He lifted his head to meet his boyfriend’s lips as he ran his hands lower and lower on his back. A soft moan escaped Gio’s lips as Max’s hands grabbed at his ass. “Upstairs?” Max asked, smiling at how quickly he could turn him on. Without answering Gio lifted a leg up into the air and over Max’s head before jumping off the counter. “Ok come through theatrics” They laughed as Gio lead them up the stairs. Max had just closed the door as Giovanni pushed him up against the wall, pinning him there as their mouths collided. Max’s hands slipped under his sweatshirt, feeling every flexed muscle of Giovanni’s back before pulling the shirt over his head as they both furiously kicked off their shoes. Max reached down and undid Gio’s pants, reaching in and palming his erection through his underwear. Gio pulled them to the bed, throwing himself down and letting Max pull off his pants and underwear in one swift pull. As Gio lay naked in front of him Max crossed over to the fireplace, igniting the fire and turning off the overhead lighting and allowing the glow of the flickering flame to light the room. If he had looked good before, Giovanni looked like he had been carved from marble as the warm lights and shadows defined every muscle and curve of his body as he reclined naked on the bed in front of Max. He walked over to the end of the bed in front of Gio, taking off his sweater and undoing his button up as he crossed the room, the feverish look in both their eyes being taken over by a longing look of infatuation. Gio sat up tracing his hands over Max’s abdomen as Max ran his hands through his black hair. His hands traced down his stomach to his belt line, slowly undoing his pants and pulling them and his underwear down without breaking eye contact. He rested his head into Max’s hand, as Max stepped out of his clothes, relishing the feeling of his fingers against his scalp. Gio moved himself up the bed as Max shed his button up, crawled up the bed to lay next to him. Giovanni instinctively lifted his leg up onto Max’s hip as their lips met in a tender kiss, their hand’s trailing over each other’s bodies. Max’s lips trailed down to his neck, sucking and biting at the porcelain skin. Gio knew that there would be a hickey there in the morning but didn’t care, rather he held him there, wanting more as he began to grind his hips against his boyfriend. Max brought their lips back together, tongues whirling and teeth occasionally clashing, as he reached around and massaged around Gio’s entrance, teasing him. The young queen’s back arched and hummed soft moans against his lips.  
“Please Max” He breathed “I need you” He said, parting their lips and looking longingly into Max’s eyes. He truly had never loved anyone as much as he was in love with him. He wanted him all the time. He never grew tired of Max’s touch. Max could see the adoring look within him as he met their lips once more, gently and slowly. He reached for the bedside where he had placed a bottle of lube when he took their bags in, knowing they would need it quite a few times over the next few days. Kneeling in front of the younger queen, who had drawn his legs up to his chest, he slicked up both Gio and himself before taking a finger and inserting it slowly to warm him up. He trailed a hand over the younger man’s pelvis as he watched his breaths deepen, soft moans escaping his lips. Max removed his finger and lifted Gio’s hips, his legs wrapping around Max’s shoulders, angling him in the way he knew he liked most. Max teased him before pushing his head gently into his boyfriend, garnering a low breathy moan. He slowly entered his entire length, surprised when Gio started to grind himself down, hungry for more, wanting all of him inside. Max gently built up a rhythm, watching as the sheets were balled up by the hands beneath him. He leant down, not breaking their pace and trailed kisses up his porcelain chest, neck and jaw before their mouths met. “Fuck” Gio let out as he dragged his nails across Max’s entire back, eliciting a deep moan from the older queen who thrust even deeper in ecstasy. “Oh shit, right there babe, right there” Gio whined before biting at Max’s shoulder to contain himself. Max could tell he was getting close.  
“I want you to be in control baby” Max whispered in his ear, Gio whining at the loss as he pulled out. Max sat up against the headboard “come here” Giovanni stood up on the bed before kneeling, one leg on each side of the older queen’s crossed legs. He lowered himself down onto his hard cock, moaning at how good the depth felt, filling him up. The position was so intimate, as close of two people could be. As he grinded his hips up and down Max started to jerk him off in time with his riding pace. Gio leant in sucking hard at his boyfriend’s neck as he felt his climax build. “Fuck G” He breathlessly exclaimed “don’t stop baby, I’m gonna-“ Gio cut him off by upping the pace as which he grinded back and forth. The speed at which Max was pumping him also sped up and before he even knew it he came, harder than ever before, riding out his orgasm as the ribbons of sticky white landed on Max’s chest in front of him. In the midst of Gio’s high Max grasped at the supple flesh of his boyfriend’s toned ass, the tension around his dick pushing him over the edge as he let out his load as Gio continued to ride him until his high came down. The moment he was done Gio slumped down, his head resting on Max’s shoulders as they breathlessly held each other tight. Max watched as Gio leant in and cleaned the mess off of his heaving chest with his tongue before bringing their mouths together in an intimate and gentle exchange.  
“Happy Birthday baby” Max said against his lips as he ran a hand through Giovanni’s now sweaty hair. Gio giggled, straightening up, all too aware of how sensitive he was with Max still inside of him. Max turned them over before removing himself from his partner, marveling at the few white drips that spilt out. He handed Gio a small towel before, going to the bathroom to clean himself up. He decided to forgo putting his underwear back on as he came back to the bedroom where Gio had nestled himself quite comfortably in the white sheets. Giovanni pulled back the sheets, letting Max into bed with him, nestling up against him in the warmth of the fire’s glow. They stayed like that, tangled in each other’s embrace for a few minutes, just comfortably looking at one another like it was the first time again.  
“You really have spoilt me today” He said, resting his chin on Max’s chest. Max didn’t reply, rather just kept looking at him while gently tracing shapes into his back “What?” Gio said with a giggle.  
“How did I get so lucky?” Max watched as Gio blushed. Gio leaned up, kissing Max softly as he pulled himself up the bed so they were face to face.  
“Luck didn’t make me fall in love with you” He said, barely parting their lips. “Max, can we make a promise to each other?” Gio rested his hand on his partner’s chest.  
“Of course baby” He stroked his hand over Gio’s bare waist.  
“Can we not talk about the show or the fact that we can’t be public while we’re here. Can we just-” He stopped as he looked for the words “Be us”  
Max smiled, it was an easy request. “That sounds perfect” Gio smiled back, showering him with kisses as Max held him tight. They lay there in each other’s arms until they both inevitably fell asleep, limbs comfortably entwined.

They spent the next 2 days barely clothed and happy about it, at one-point Max was sure that there wasn’t a surface in the house they hadn’t had each other on. If Giovanni thought he had been spoilt on his birthday, he wasn’t ready for everything Max planned for Valentine’s day. He woke up to the warmth of the fireplace as he stretched out his naked limbs to find Max in the bed but found nothing next to him as he grasped under the sheets. His eyes flickered open and saw a trail of rose petals that lead out the bedroom, he pulled on a pair of black briefs and followed the petals. The trail led him down the stairs to the kitchen where Max was cooking breakfast, only wearing sweatpants, and taking sips out of a champagne glass. Gio bounded over to him.  
“Hey” Max softly said as he stepped away from the stove to catch his grinning boyfriend, holding his hips as the young man’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, bringing them into soft kiss. “Happy Valentine’s day baby” Max said when they parted lips, both of them smiling ear to ear.  
“Happy Valentine’s day” Giovanni replied, landing another kiss before Max turned back to the breakfast at hand. Gio picked up the second, full champagne glass and took a sip of the red liquid. “Oooh strawberry mimosa’s” He said as he wrapped his arms around Max’s waist, leaving a trail of kisses along his shoulder to his neck.  
“Hmmm, thought they’d go well with the Nutella French toast” He said, turning to kiss him quickly before he had to flip the bread in the pan.  
“Oh my god I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you” He said, kissing his cheek repeatedly, both of them set off into a giggling fit.  
“I love you too baby” Max said as he fed him a strawberry over his shoulder, gently slapping his ass as Gio started to move everything over to the dining table.

They had the perfect do nothing Valentine’s Day, all over each other the entire time. They cuddled on the couch in front of the fire watching the Golden Girls and old movies after a morning dip in the hot tub to finish their mimosa’s. Or more often than not, not watching whatever was in front of them as they got lost in the heat of the moment. After a romantic dinner that they cooked together, both shocked they got any work done as they fooled around the entire time, Max disappeared upstairs for 20 minutes. Gio didn’t question it as he sat on the couch in the living room, posting about the gig the next day and keeping himself present on all his social media accounts as to not draw suspicion to his absence. Max came back downstairs, grabbing the last bottle of Champagne from the fridge and opening the back door, popping the cork into the cold night air. Gio looked over at the loud pop which made him jump. Max didn’t say anything as he grabbed 2 glasses and a box of chocolate and walked over to the stairs, looking over his shoulder at Giovanni before ascending out of sight. Gio looked over at the staircase and smirked. As he got to the top of the stairs the landing was covered in a dense trail of rose petals, recently placed as Max had cleaned up the ones from that morning, leading into the bedroom. Gio followed the trail, hearing soft music coming from the bathroom. Gio opened the sliding door, a soft glow emitting around the edges of the frame. Max was sitting in the bath pouring out a second glass of champagne, not caring when the bubbles overflowed and fell into the water in front of him. The room filled with the scent of Gio’s favorite LUSH bath bomb, the bathwater a beautiful pink colour as rose petals floated on top of the water. Dozens of candles of varying sizes and heights flickered around the room and on the perimeter of the tub. A playlist of their favorite love songs playing from a speaker on the windowsill.  
“I thought this would be a nice way to end our Valentine’s day” Max said with a smirk. He knew he’d done a good job with this one. Gio was speechless, his hands covering his mouth as he took in all the effort Max had gone to in order to set this up.  
“Babe this, this is, oh my god” He felt happy tears well up in his eyes. “I don’t know what to say” He was smiling from ear to ear, those adorable smile lines coming back.  
“You don’t have to say anything, just get in” Max laughed, this was far better than any reaction he could have anticipated. Gio stripped down and got in the hot water, his muscles relaxing as he rested his head against Max’s chest as he settled into the water. The older queen kissed him on the temple, running one hand across his slick abs as the other hand passed him a glass.  
“You know I never took you as a candlelit bath with rose petals kind of romantic” Gio said after swallowing a large gulp of the bubbly liquid and looking up at Max, who’s hands were still caressing his body under the pink water.  
“I never cared enough about someone to go to this effort” He said with a chuckle.  
“I wish I had brought something for you up here, you’ve done so much”  
“I was happy to do all this. It’s for your birthday, of course I was going to spoil you as best I could. And today was for both of us” He paused, bringing his hand up to Gio’s chest. The younger queen’s hand met his and held him against his heart as Max kissed the top of his head. “Besides, every second with you is a gift” Gio turned his head even further around, their lips meeting. Their kiss was slow, intimate, no one rushing. They sat in the bath hand in hand talking and kissing for over an hour until they decided to move back to their bedroom for the final night away from the city. Both knowing that they were a week away from the Season 10 cast being announced. Both hanging on to each second they had away from prying eyes and studio rules. Both knowing this would be the last time in a long time that they would have this much time off without people trying to figure out where they were. That being said, they cherished every second they had.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day of the Season 10 premiere and neither Max or Gio is fully prepared for what it's going to be like to relive everything they thought was in their past   
> xx - Betty

The moment the promo picture was released, the frenzy started. World of Wonder were playing a strange game, toying with them. The producers were clearly enjoying all the people looking into their history and shipping them with just 1 group photo to set them off.   
“Max have you seen this?” Gio said walking into the bathroom, half painted holding his phone out to Max who was shaving in preparation for his gig that night.   
“What is it babe?” He said placing the razor back down on the basin.  
“Check out this promo clip” Gio hit play. It was one of the video’s telling you how many days were left, except this time the 2 of them were the 2 queens, the shot literally zooming through Cracker’s head to cut to the Aquaria clip.  
“They’re really gonna push this twin thing aren’t they” Gio admitted to himself. Scared of what the edit could be as Max returned to the task at hand.  
“Well they got one thing right at least” Max said, pausing to make sure the section he had shaved was smooth while Gio waited, confused as to where this was going. “You’re the only thing on my mind” Max turned and smiled, knowing that Gio couldn’t resist those kinds of cheesy comments. A glowing smile returned to his face and he leant in to kiss a clean part of Max’s cheek, successfully dodging the shaving cream before getting back to his paint.

By the end of the week they were booked for months in advance in New York, across America and even internationally. Going through all the PR stuff was tiring on both of them. They wanted to gush about each other in every interview, but they held back. They went out of their way to sit separately in interviews so that their glances at one another wouldn’t be caught on camera. People online were already taking screenshot’s of Aquaria’s reaction when Miz Cracker walked in during their meet the queens, starting all the shipping blogs and Instagram accounts from day 1. They received a call from the Public Relations manager at WoW soon after.  
“Is anyone else really confused or am I just really high?” Jordan said, looking around the room as Max hung up the call. Katelyn gave him an affirming nod, he was both and they loved him for it. Both their attention switched to the couch where Max and Gio sat in silence, the younger queen’s legs draped over Max’s lap. They were looking at each other, hand’s held on Gio’s knee. Jordan and Katelyn looked at each other, feeling like there was a conversation happening in front of them even though no one was talking.  
“I don’t know what they expect from us” Max said, finally breaking the silence and getting up off the couch. Gio sighing deeply as his legs lay back on the couch. “They want people talking about Aquaria and Cracker but they don’t want people thinking we like each other but they don’t want people thinking we outright hate each other. That makes no sense” He threw his hand’s in the air in defeat.  
“Right. What do they expect us to do? Not even look at each other?”  
“Cos that’s not suspicious!” Max was now pacing back and forth.  
“I think they just want you to be friendly and then give the fans little moments that they can fangirl over without you to making out at viewing parties” Katelyn said, her head moving back and forth to follow Max around the room.  
“Yeah it’s like they want to use the “do they like each other do they hate each other” as a way to get viewers” Jordan chimed in.  
“So we’re a marketing device to keep up drama” the question came out of Max as a statement. Everyone knew that was what was happening, Max was just the first one to say it out loud.  
“Ugh!” Gio exclaimed, burying his head into a pillow, defeated.  
Max sat on the couch and rubbed his back. No one said anything. They felt like pawns in WoW’s game of chess.

The week leading up to the premiere was draining on both of them. Everyone had flown in to New York. They were in interviews all day every day and going out to dinner each night with their season 10 sisters, then they each had gigs on Monday and Tuesday night. Gio could barely get Max out of bed the day of the premiere.  
“Max!” Gio giggled as the older queen pulled him back under the cover’s with him.  
“Nooooooo” He whined, exhausted, breathing in the scent of Gio’s body wash.  
“Come on babe it’s after lunch. We need to start getting ready” He planted a kiss on the top of Max’s head. Max opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light in the room.  
“Maxwell Heller, get out of bed” Katelyn walked into the room, banging on the door “Sorry G, but waking him up gently was never going to work”  
“FINE” Max finally sat up, Gio passed him the cup of coffee he brought in with him, making sure he got a kiss before he handed over the mug. He took a long drink and sighed “Fuck it’s going to be a long day” Gio gave him another kiss before Jordan knocked at the front door, carrying Aquaria’s look for the premiere in a dry cleaning bag. Max walked into the living room as Gio removed the bodysuit from the bag.  
“Oh you bitch” Max said, his jaw dropping at the sight of the beautiful garment. Gio giggled, he knew this would be eye catching on the carpet and was totally on brand for Aquaria. 

Getting the chance to get ready together for the premiere was calming for both of them.   
“Ladies, the cars are here” Jordan said as he came back through the front door, having changed into his black suit; naturally with no shirt underneath, before waiting on the curb for the 2 SUV’s.  
“You good?” Gio asked, taking both of Max’s hands, marveling at how bouncy Miz Cracker’s blonde curls were that evening. He had watched him slave over this hair in all his free time, striving for the perfect mix of structure and movement.  
“I’m so nervous, but oh my god it’s time. That “soon” we always talked about, it’s here” He was smiling but Gio could see he was still nervous, but he didn’t want to push it.  
“No matter what happens, I love you” Gio squeezed their hands, looking Max in the eye through the blue contacts.  
“I love you too baby” He lifted his heels off the ground and gave Gio a gentle kiss, not wanting to smudge either of their lipsticks. “No matter what” He held Gio’s hand as they walked down stairs to the cars, only splitting up when they had to step into their separate vehicles. 

Miz Cracker arrived first, with Aquaria’s car doing an extra lap of the block so they didn’t arrive at the same time. Max couldn’t help but stair for a moment as he watched Aquaria work the media along the carpet, looking away, knowing he was staring. Gio caught a brief glance at Max watching him from 15 feet away. They wanted to walk the carpet together, hand in hand, but knew they shouldn’t. They did say good things about each other and stop to spend time together during press.  
“Cracks!” A familiar voice called out. Monet cut through the crowd, enveloping Max in a hug, Lifting him off the ground.  
“Ahhh gurl you look so good” Max said, stepping back and taking in the view of Monet in a gorgeous purple dress.  
“So do you queen, looking like the top of a Barbie cake” Monet glanced over Miz Cracker’s shoulder. “The wife’s looking good too” She said leaning in so no one else would hear, not like that was possible with all the voices. Max looked over his shoulder quickly, seeing Aquaria working the camera’s in a way only she could.  
“She does, doesn’t she” He said proudly. He may not have been able to be by Gio’s side but he was allowed to be proud of him. Aquaria had been moved up the carpet to the point where she was only a few feet away from Monet and Cracker.   
“Miz Cracker!” Gio called out, running over and hugging Max tightly, as though he hadn’t held him in weeks. They may not be allowed to look like a couple but they could at least be friends.   
“OK AQUA IT’S TIME FOR THE PREMIERE!!!!” He called out in that classic Miz Cracker voice, stepping a little further back but still holding onto Giovanni’s forearms. Both of them laughing, Max placing a hand on Gio’s back. The photographer’s called to them, the two of them wrapping an arm around each other’s waists, posing for a string of photos before parting again. Their sisters were also on their side, with Mayhem and Vixen rearranging the group photo so that Cracker and Aquaria were the 2 queens on the ground next to one another. Monet, Jordan and Katelyn even found time to grab a few photos of the 2 of them off to the side of the event, seeing as the press only got 2 photos of them in the same frame. Gio ran up behind him as the queens moved into the viewing room, getting a quick reassuring squeeze of Max’s hand before the show started. They hadn’t seen each other in over an hour as they changed back into their entrance looks for the viewing party. It was a small gesture but it calmed Max for a brief moment.

They both knew what was coming that night once the show started. Episode 1 was not going to be a fun time for either of them. As they sat on opposite sides of the stage from each other. It took everything out of them to not just look at the other one when their past feud was brought up. They were excited for each other, not letting the producers and their past drama stop them from supporting one another’s successes.   
“OH GOD” Gio sank into his seat, visibly cringing at the things he had said in the workroom about the similarities in Aquaria and Cracker’s makeup that episode. Everyone laughed as he blushed, thankful you couldn’t see it through the TV Paintstick. He caught Max’s eye, the two of them exchanging a soft smile. Oh how badly Gio wanted to get up and go sit on his boyfriend’s lap for the rest of this. Or maybe he didn’t, as the untucked episode started. Giovanni’s heart sank. Even though they had discussed what happened, Max wasn’t there for what went down. His jaw tightened as Vixen said “she faked it all the way to RuPaul’s Drag Race”. He hated knowing that what he had said had led any of the other queens to that assumption of Miz Cracker. It was so stupid and taken way out of proportion, but Gio knew this would also be brought up in the next episode and probably brought up to the both of them for interviews for the next year, or maybe the rest of their careers. He hadn’t dared to look at Max throughout all of this. He knew if he did, the tears that were welling in his eyes would have started to gush because of the guilt. If he had looked over all he would have seen was Max’s crossed arms as he took in what he was watching, Monet next to him holding his hand as the accusations flew in the untucked stage. He’d heard it all before from Gio and Monet but there was something about it that felt like a kick in the chest. The episode ended and the viewing party applauded. The hosting queen began interviewing them all asking them all questions about the episodes. Max could see how uncomfortable Giovanni was all alone on the edge of stage, all eyes on him for what they had all witnessed.  
“This is your first time hearing Vixen talking? Do you have a reply” the host said as she lowered the microphone to Miz Cracker’s level, bringing Max back into the moment.  
“I honestly don’t understand what she’s saying a lot of the time so I don’t know if I’d like to take it as a negative or a positive” He said trying to lighten the mood “but I love you Aquaria, I do, I fucking love you, I do” If Max had looked around at his sisters he would have noticed them trying, and Monet almost failing, to not be shocked at what Max had just said. Not that they were shocked that Max loved Giovanni, that was a given, but that he had chosen to say those words in front of a crowd after just the first episode. The crowd erupted into a chant.  
“KISS! KISS! KISS! KISS!” Max attempted to backpedal by making a joke at Aquaria’s nervous inability to string a sentence together. Without even thinking, he crossed the stage, Giovanni standing for them to exchange a brief hug. “I love you too” Gio replied quickly into Max’s ear. There wasn’t enough time to say what Gio wanted to say in the measly second they were connected before Cracker reclaimed her seat on the other side of the stage. Both of them were thankful the situation didn’t come up again on the stage, but Giovanni noticed how the older queen’s eye didn’t cross the stage again.

They hadn’t been able to catch each other after they left the stage, each of them being pulled in different directions. Gio looked across the room at Max, halfway through an interview, with Katelyn standing not too far away.  
“Calm down Aqua, here, drink up” Jordan passed him a drink after grabbing 2 from a passing waitress, who was making the rounds. Gio downed it in one go.  
“I just want to tell him what happened”  
“You did, like a long time ago. I’m sure he’s fine” Jordan downed another drink just in time to grab another one off the next waiter. “You want one more?” Gio declined, watching as Jordan downed the second drink. He had had a few drinks but he didn’t want to be drunk tonight. He looked over at Katelyn again, he caught her eye and she held up her phone. She tapped it, signaling him to check his messages.

Katelyn 11:24pm: Hey, Cracker is about to head home just letting you know  
Aqua 11:24pm: Is he mad?  
Katelyn 11:25pm: He’s all up in Cracker mode right now but before he was quiet so I have no idea. Sorry 

Giovanni sighed. If Katelyn couldn’t read him then god only knew what kind of mood he was in. He wished he could just walk over and grab him right now but he wouldn’t dare with every WoW executive and producer in the room. That and every camera would turn right to them given what just happened in the episode. Giovanni watched as Monet, pulling Vixen with her, descended on Max, who in turn seemed to drop the façade ever so slightly. He looked visibly hurt, even when Vixen leant in for a hug. Vixen and Cracker were standing close to one another, with Monet standing by Cracker’s side. Gio could tell by the slight changes in Max’s face and the way he tilted his head, that nothing that was being said was making him feel better. Gio’s heart began to race, he didn’t even realize that he was standing there completely frozen and staring at the scene across the room. Jordan put his glass back down on the table and looked up at Aquaria. He followed his best friend’s line of sight to the trio across the room and then back to Gio, who’s red belt of a top couldn’t cover the frantic pace of his breath, and who’s brow was furrowed ever so slightly.   
“Oh fuck no, you’re not doing this right now” Jordan said as he quickly grabbed Giovanni’s wrist with 1 hand and grabbed another drink with the other before pulling him out of the room. He closed the door on the dressing room as Gio sat down on the couch against the far wall. “You need to stop this shit right now” The words still came out with Jordan’s, I don’t care tone, but he was clearly serious. “What the fuck is working yourself up going to do huh?” Gio looked at him out the corner of his eye “Don’t fucking give me that look, you know I’m right” Gio knew he was right but that didn’t stop him worrying.  
“Help me change into my other outfit again. I can’t wear this anymore” He sighed, taking the red band off his chest and the corset from his waist, relishing in the freedom of breath. They didn’t talk as wigs were changed and the new cincher was tightened. Jordan zipped up the bodysuit up but Gio was still frozen. He turned to Jordan, took a deep breath, but as he breathed in his voice cracked and his eyes began to fill with tears.   
“oh, oh shit, honey” Jordan swooped in, the two friends latching onto one another as Jordan rubbed his back while offering his shoulder as a place for Gio to cry. “Aqua what’s wrong?” He let go of him, finding a napkin to stop him from ruining his makeup any further. Jordan sat down, dabbing his friends under eyes as he watched him try and regain his composure. A text came through on Gio’s phone, which sat between them on the couch.

Katelyn 12:01am: We’re heading home. I’m going with Monet, Cracker’s going back to yours, her phone’s dead so she wanted me to tell you  
Katelyn 12:01am: Call me if you need me

“He’s going to leave me” Gio brokenly said, putting his head in his hands.  
Jordan froze on the arm of the couch, mostly out of confusion, trying to figure out of he was drunk or just shocked, probably both he thought. “What?” was all that came to mind.  
“He’s going to leave me. I just got him and now he’s going to be gone again because of the dumb shit I said in Untucked because I was self-conscious and jealous of him doing so fucking well on day 1. Like did you see what he made!!! That dress was so fucking good and I stuck shit to my tits and he was doing so well and I couldn’t just have been supportive for 1 fucking runway” It all flowed out without a breath, getting louder and more frantic.  
Jordan was still confused “But you fucked. Literally the next day. That doesn’t scream bothered to me”  
“You don’t get it” Gio shook his head “This was the first time he saw it and it hurt him. I hurt him Jordan. And I can’t even go over to him right now when I know he’s upset”  
“Aquaria” Jordan said, dry as ever ,especially because he had just said he didn’t understand even though he knew him better than 99% of the people in his life “You said some dumb shit last year. You were 21, 21 year olds say dumb shit. If I know that, he knows that. He’s 33, I’m sure he’ll be ok” Jordan stood up. He wanted to be there for his friend but he knew that letting him wallow like this wasn’t going to help him. Jordan packed the entrance outfit back into its bag and put it over his shoulder. “oh and by the way, there’s no way he’s leaving you. That man loves you so fucking much G. It’s actually kind of gross how much he loves you” They both laughed, Gio’s mouth turning to a brief smile. He stood up from the couch and wrapped his arms around Jordan.  
“You know, I hate when you say smart shit” Gio chuckled as they rocked back and forth like kids, planting a red kiss mark on Jordan’s cheek.   
“It had to happen eventually” They separated as Jordan’s phone went off. “Oooo Linux and Joe are at a party down town, I might go hit that up. You good to get back to your place?” Gio nodded and they exchanged a quick hug with a kiss on each cheek before they both left the room. Gio made a quick sweep of the party, hugging his remaining sisters and promising to catch up with them all soon before he got into the car that had been waiting for him. 

The drive back home felt excruciatingly long, especially because he was so used to calling Max to make his commute more bearable. After 40 minutes he clicked his heels up the stairs, feet killing him, to their little apartment.  
“Max?” He called out gently as he walked through the front door. Max was sitting curled up on the couch, fully out of drag, a mug of tea in his hand.  
“Hey” He was barely audible. Giovanni closed and locked the door, draping the garment bag over one of their dining chairs before stepping closer to the couch. He bobbed down, Max’s head didn’t even turn from the mug in his lap.  
“Are you mad at me?” Gio said, placing a hand on his bicep. Max’s eye’s squeezed shut.  
“I don’t want to be mad at you Gio” He finally said.  
“But are you?”  
“Well I’m not exactly thrilled” He said when his eyes opened again. “My boyfriend just instigated a fairly massive situation against me, that’s going to be carried around with me for most of my professional career. It’s kind of a confusing thing”  
“Max we both knew this was coming. I was taken out of context and I didn’t say what I meant to say and then Vixen went and took it further. And I tried my best to tell you what was said-”  
“That’s different than seeing you say it behind my back” Max cut him off and regretted it immediately. “Behind my back and on international television. Me. The copycat” He turned to Giovanni, tears welling up in his eyes. He was hurt.  
“You know I never meant for it to come across that way. I wouldn’t have tried to defend you when Vixen said you didn’t deserve to be there if I meant it” Max stood up quickly, taking his mug back to the kitchen. “What are you doing?” Gio asked.  
“I don’t want to fight with you Gio, not right now” He rinsed out the mug.  
Giovanni was taken aback even though he had been preparing himself for the worst all night.“Why would we be having a fight about this?”  
“Are you serious?” Max leant against the counter waiting for a response but Gio just stood there. “Ok fine. You and Eureka. Getting ready, talking shit about me. You talked shit about me to Monet, Bob’s sister, part of my family. What you said brought out this idea of me in everyone else when I wasn’t there to defend myself. It’s bringing back everything everyone told me when we stopped being friends and I was alone again while you were shining without me. While everyone says you dropped me. When I wasn’t enough for anyone. But you’re not thinking about that. You just think I’m mad because of what you said in Untucked and that’s why I’m mad” Max wished all of that hadn’t come out.  
“You cannot blame me for that. You know how hard it was for me to separate myself from Sharon, to be my own success and then be compared to someone else that you love. It fucking sucks, did you think about that?” Gio’s arms were crossed over his chest. “You know I love you with all my heart and you know I didn’t mean any of those things and I would never say you faked your way to drag race”   
“Gio do not make this about you” Max shook his head.  
“I’m not”  
“You are making this about you, and you’re not the one who’s legitimacy was just questioned”   
“No one’s questioning how legit your drag is” Gio raised his voice.  
“Really? Because every fucking question I got tonight was about your makeup, did I steal your makeup, that fucking yellow dress, which looks nothing alike by the way. That’s all people are asking me because of this. Did I steal my ideas from New York’s brightest star” Star. It was that word that made Gio realize how deep the pain from this was. When Asia had said she didn’t think Max was a star it had broken him, to the point at which he was cancelling gigs and Katelyn was even wondering if he would quit drag all together. “I need to go for a walk” Max said, both of them still standing across from one another in the small kitchen with their arms folded over their chests.  
“Max don’t go” He felt the tears coming back.  
“I just need some time to think this through ok” Max put on his shoes, grabbed his keys and his jacket and just left, leaving his wallet and phone on the table.  
As soon as the door shut the tears flowed out of Giovanni as he crumbled down onto the cold tiles in the tiny kitchen. He didn’t hold back the sobbing. His breath was hard to catch as the tight corset around his waist constricted his breathing. He sat up against the wall, throwing his heels across the room, watching them land in the heap of stilettos under one of the racks. He slowly stood up, undressing as he got over to his vanity, noticing the streaks of tears left in his makeup. He didn’t stop crying the entire time he was getting undressed. Everything around him reminded him of how he had screwed up the one important relationship he would probably ever have. As he took off his makeup in the bathroom he remembered how excited Max was to find out that Gio had cleared half the cabinet for him. He remembered how they had hidden from Jordan that first morning. He thought about all their late night showers together after their gigs, spending every second they had together. Was he about to lose that forever. Even the simplicity of the pink and red toothbrushes in their little holder made him think about how it was all over. Gio went back into their bedroom in his underwear, looking over all the little polaroid’s and framed photos they had accumulated in their short half year together. They were so happy so often. This had been their first fight, something that was inevitable but that they never thought they’d deal with. Gio noticed the grey sweatshirt on the bed next to him. He held it up to his face, it smelled like Max. He sobbed for a few more minutes, his tears leaving small darker spots on pale gray fabric, before pulling the shirt over his head and letting the lose fabric envelope his thin frame. Looking at his phone, it was nearly 2 in the morning, and it was his last full night in New York before his intense touring started, but there was no way Giovanni could sleep knowing Max was just wandering the streets instead of being back in bed with him. He went out into the living room and just stared at his drag, the room was a mess with all their stuff but he loved it that way. Something in one of the clear tubs on the floor on his half of the room caught Giovanni’s eye. Riffling through the box he found it, the goddamn yellow dress. This dress ruined their lives for over a year. But it really didn’t. It wasn’t the dresses or the makeup that made Gio so insecure back then, it was the fact that they weren’t seen as individuals. He thought of how ironic it was now that they were a couple and all Gio wanted was for them to be seen as one entity. He picked up a pair of scissors from the sewing table and hacked into the latex, watching it split like butter underneath the sharp blades. He cut it up as much as he could, taking out his frustration on the garment. He put the scissors back on the table as he held the heart shaped cut out from the chest of the dress in his hands. As if on cue, the front door clicked open and Max came back into the apartment, taking off his jacket as he closed the door. It took him a second to realize what he was looking at as he noted the strips of yellow that were all over the floor around his clearly upset boyfriend. Max’s face scrunched up as he raised a hand over his mouth to stop the sob that almost escaped when he realized what Giovanni was doing, and how upset he had made him.  
“You came back” Gio tossed the cutout in his hand aside as he stood up from the masses of small yellow latex pieces around him and ran over to Max, a sense of relief flooding over him. He ran over so fast that Max had to brace himself as he caught Giovanni in his arms, wrapping his arms around his waist and holding him tight against him as the younger man encircled his neck and shoulders, resting his head against his.  
“Of course I did” They were both crying on one another, not trying to hold it back. Max ran his hands over his boyfriend’s back, trying to comfort him.  
“I’m sorry Max I’m so sorry” Gio managed to get out between sobs.   
“No I’m sorry I shouldn’t have gotten angry” He rested his head into the taller queen’s shoulder, watching his tears dampen his shirt.  
“I didn’t mean any of what I said and I wish I could take it all back because I was just scared and selfish and I never wanted to hurt you because I love you” He said as he leant back, placing a hand on Max’s chest and looking him in the eye as tears ran down his face. He couldn’t help it as he leant in and brought their lips together.   
“I love you” “I love you so” “so much” Max was able to say against his lips in the brief moments where he could take in air. Their mouths were frantic, their breathing was hard and there was something powerful about this kiss. The feeling of Max’s hand’s holding him so tightly removed the insecurity that plagued Gio all night. He was there, in front of him, holding him, kissing him, in their home. They parted lips and held each other close once more, but now without the tears, feeling their hearts beating against one another.  
“I thought I’d lost you” Gio whispered as he squeezed Max’s shoulders.  
“what?” Max pulled back to look Giovanni in the eye to see if he was being serious. Max was shocked that the thought that that would even happen crossed his mind “Gio I didn’t even make it out of the building”   
Giovanni was confused. Max had been gone for over an hour.  
“Where did you go then?”  
“I went to the roof. I just couldn’t leave”  
“Why?” Gio couldn’t understand what had stopped him from walking out the front door of their apartment building and onto the Bushwick streets.  
“Come here” Max took him by the hand and walked him into their bedroom, closing the door and turning off the lights so only thin strips of fairy lights offered a warm dim glow around their headboard. He pulled off his shirt and kicked off his shoes before getting into his side of the bed, pulling back the covers to invite Giovanni in. Gio cuddled up to him, laying his head on his bare chest, looking up into his adoring gaze. Max held his hand on his abdomen, rubbing circles in the back of his hand compulsively. “I couldn’t leave because I promised you, in this bed at 4am on a Sunday morning, that I would never leave you. I got to the top of the stairs and I remembered the way you looked at me when you were scared I would leave that morning, and the look when I said I would move in, and then-” He cut himself off, taking a deep breath because he didn’t want to cry “And then, in this bed with your head on my chest, I told you that I loved you for the first time, and you said you loved me back” Gio teared up as Max recounted the story “That is my favorite memory, and it all started with a promise. And as long as I love you, I could never leave you” Gio smiled, knowing what Max would say next.  
“And you still love me” He said, finishing Max’s sentence and making him grin.  
“I always will” He leant down and kissed the top of Giovanni’s head, the two of them wrapping their arms around each other.   
“Not including the drama, I enjoyed the episode” Gio said, breaking the peaceful silence while tracing shapes on Max’s waist.   
“Oh the god damn zoom in on my entrance line. CLASSIC!” They both giggled. It really was the perfect Cracker mix of classic and stupid.  
“I still stand by the mullet” Gio said cockily, knowing how much Max hated it.  
The older queen rolled his eyes “Oh god the mullet. I don’t know how you can pull that off so well. You do realize that it’s just the longer version of your boy hair right?” Gio’s eyes widened “Oh my god you never noticed that did you?” Max laughed.  
“Wow, I mean you’re totally right but wow” He was shocked this was the first time someone had pointed it out “It explains a lot when you think about it”  
“Awww baby did I just break your brain” Max chuckled as he caressed Gio’s face almost like he was watching the gears turn behind his eyes.  
“I mean, a little” He smiled at how dumb it was “God it’s on brand though if my brain’s broken. I swear you’re the only person I can talk to in real sentences without messing them up. I kinda come across as so dumb on the show”  
“Nooooo baby you don’t come across as dumb, just young” Max smirked.  
Gio sat up on one elbow “Well at least I don’t look like one of the little rascals in my confessional outfit” Gio smirked back.  
“Oh god” Max covered his face with his free hand, blushing but laughing, eliciting an adorable giggle from Gio. His laugh was Max’s favorite sound, and it melted his heart every time he heard it.  
“I love you, but that bow tie was a choice”   
“Well we can’t all look as amazing as you do in your confessionals” He took his arm down and held Gio’s hand on his bare stomach.  
“You liked it!” The younger queen beamed.  
“Oh I’ve never felt like you were more out of my league than when that look came up. That hair, that red velvet turtle neck, those brows, you were stunning! It took so much for me not to stand up during the viewing party and just scream and brag about how everyone can suck it cos that’s MY boyfriend” Max wrapped his arms around Gio’s waist, the younger man letting out a playful squeal as Max’s lips made contact with his neck and he was lifted onto his lap, straddling his hips. Max laughed as he playfully bit and kissed his neck before Gio sat up, his hands holding Gio’s hips in place over his own.  
“I’m not out of your league babe” He said as he trailed both hands over Max’s torso, so delicately that Max could barely feel it.  
“You’re a ridiculously hot 22 year old, who looks like a supermodel, who is actually an amazing person on the inside too. I’m 5”5, 33, and my hair might actually be thinning” Max joked but there was an element of seriousness in what he said. He knew Gio was out of his league, that Gio was the more attractive out of the 2 of them. But that didn’t bother him. This perfect man had chosen him for some reason and he would be a fool to question it.  
“You’re right” Gio said, his fingers increasing in pressure as they trailed over his torso, tracing each muscle. “You’re 5”5, you’re 33, your hair is not thinning like you think it is, and you don’t even know how many people would want the view I have right now” He leant down, placing his hands on Max’s chest to guide him, and planted a soft kiss on Max’s lips. Their lips moved slowly together as Max’s hands slid under the grey shirt and around Giovanni’s slender waist. Max turned them on their side, Gio’s leg hitching up over Max’s hip to bring them as close as possible, without breaking their kiss. After a few minutes Giovanni lifted his head, the two of them sharing a long, loving, look in the dim light “Max, whatever happens on the show over the next few weeks, it can’t get between us. Even when we’re on tour” He said as he nestled himself into Max’s chest, smiling when Max’s arm wrapped around his waist rubbing slow circles into his skin under the baggy shirt. Before they got together these arms would occupy Gio’s mind. The thought of Max holding him was merely a dream less than 6 months ago. 3 hours ago he had thought he had lost these arms once again. But he didn’t need to worry anymore because Max was here with him now, holding him, feeling him, comforting him, loving him.  
“Trust me, not even being in a different country is going to get between us” He leant down, kissing Gio’s forehead. “I wish we could stay like this forever” He whispered into his black hair.  
“Forever, forever?” Gio muffled against his chest, letting out a small yawn.  
Max smiled, was he even aware of how adorable he was. “Do you want forever, forever with me?” It was a more loaded question than just tired pillow talk but Max only realized it once he had said it.  
“It’s all I want” He mumbled in reply. Max smiled, his response we so authentic, Gio hadn’t even given it a second thought before he spoke. Never in his life had he ever thought he would say the words that came to his mind next.  
“Gio” Max looked down and stopped himself saying anything more. Gio had fallen asleep in his arms. The words in Max’s head were still at the front of him mind, words that would change their lives. He looked so peaceful as he slept. Everything from the way his lips sat slightly open and pursed as he breathed softly, to the gentle whimpers that would occasionally come out as he dreamt. One day he would say those words, but for now it was time for both of them to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They got through the premiere but what effect will the life changing finale have on Max and Gio's relationship? With the WoW producers keeping them apart even though they desperately want to be together on such an important day, emotions are high for our couple as their lives change forever.  
> xx - Betty

Somehow they had made it to the Finale. They made it through the schedules and the flights and their first crazy DragCon. The promise they made each other after their first fight held true, with Gio and Max spending hours on the phone every week talking through the episode. After episode 2 it was so much easier until the night Cracker went home. 

They had been lucky that night in the fact that they were both able to be in the same city. They had filmed the stressful and emotional reunion the day before and had the finale taping the next. Gio had a night off and was thankful that he could just sit and wait in the hotel for Max to get back. Max had come back from his viewing party that night emotionally drained. Gio didn’t push him to talk, rather hugged him tight after he put his things down and let him dedrag at his own pace. Knowing Max needed his time with Miz Cracker right now. Max had been preparing himself for the day Cracker would go home and when he would have to hear Asia’s words, that still lingered over him in his moments of doubt, once again. He felt numb rather than upset as he had got out of drag, even when he first got into bed and curled himself up in Gio’s arms, resting his head against his shoulder.   
“Still brighter than New York City” Giovanni whispered as he placed a kiss on the top of Max’s head as he rubbed his arm comfortingly. Max looked down at his hand and the silver band that never left his finger, turning it around and around till the small golden star faced him. “Are you ok babe?” Gio said softly  
Max took in a deep breath before sitting up and looking Giovanni in the eye.   
“Oddly, yeah. I think I’m ok. It’s done. I mean, it’s out there. It’s been a while. And yeah it sucks that that’s what I went out on buuuuut” He swung his leg over Gio’s so he was sitting, straddling the younger man’s hips. He placed his hands on Gio’s shoulders, making sure they were looking into each other’s eyes. “I’m very happy with my final words on the show” He was, of course, referring to the fact that his last words were “Aquaria bring home the crown”. Max remembered how he had felt when he was eliminated and how much he had gushed about how important the relationship he had built with Aquaria meant to him as he read Gio’s note. They had fallen for each other in those few weeks, but there was a part of him that would have never believed that he would be in bed with Gio the night it aired. That and of course the home he mentioned all those months ago had meant New York, but now it meant the home they shared together.  
“No pressure right” Gio smiled as he pulled Max closer, his hands on the older man’s hips.  
“They’ve basically measured the crown to your head” Max leant down and connected their lips into a soft steady kiss.  
“Oh that’s a good one, I’m using that” Gio said as he pulled away for a brief second. Max grinned, letting out a soft laugh before Gio reached up and resumed their kiss. Their kiss picked up its pace as Max pulled the shirt from his boyfriend’s body, in response to Gio’s fingers massaged into the flesh of his muscular thighs.  
“KNOCK KNOCK” a voice called out as the door flung open, without an answer from Max or Gio. “Oooooh damn look at you two going at it again” Jordan sauntered in, the hotel door closing behind him, as he wiggled his eyebrows at his best friend in the middle of an intimate moment.  
“GIRL! SERIOUSLY!” Gio exclaimed as he glared at Jordan, who hung up 2 garment bags in the open closet, as Max sighed and lifted his head from Gio’s neck and glared at Jordan out of the side of his eye.  
“Oh don’t stop just because I’m in the room” Jordan winked “Lord knows I wouldn’t stop for you” It was true, there had been many a time when Gio had walked in on him and one of his hookups when they lived together, and he did not stop. At least he was consistent.   
“How did you even get in just now?” Max asked as he got off his boyfriend’s lap, knowing Jordan was going to drag this out as long as possible.  
“I stole G’s room key when I realized he was just going to sit in bed all night watching Golden Girls till you got back” He said casually as he readjusted his hair in the mirror.  
Gio looked at the bedside table where he was sure he’s left the key, moving his laptop and the book Max had been reading to see if it was under them.  
“Why would you need our room key?” Max asked genuinely wondering. 2 of them may be drag queens but Jordan had the most nerve in the room. He respected that.  
“Well these needed to be brought up” He said extravagantly gesturing to the two bags. “I love that you’re both wearing black to the finale, so chic. I sense a trend alert” It wasn’t an intentional choice at first. They had each gone off to their respective consultations with their designers on the same, rare, day off months ago. It wasn’t until they got home that they found out they had both chosen black gowns. But each had its purpose. Of course Aquaria would be chic, in a couture black gown and some unique accessory, settling on a eye mask only a few days before they flew out. Cracker on the other hand wanted to send a statement about the way she had left. Her gorgeous outfit was a nod to the inner saboteur that had gotten the best of her the day she was eliminated. But for Max it also felt like them mourning the loss of every secret they had to keep and hide behind. That’s why he wanted it to be grand. The secret’s may be dead, but he wasn’t sad they had died.  
“And you couldn’t have just taken them back to your room for the night?” Gio said completely dead pan. He loved his best friend but he had terrible timing and a knack for walking in on him and Max.  
“Well I didn’t think you’d be fucking did I?” He mimicked Gio’s shaking head “Honestly I’m surprised this one” he gestured at Max “was down to fuck on the night she got eliminated”  
Max sighed loudly at the statement. Of course he wasn’t thrilled to be eliminated and relive that all again but he had other needs in his life than moping around.  
“Jordan we haven’t been in the same city for over 3 weeks, of course that shit’s going on in here in our free time” Max was shocked he had to say this to Jordan of all people.  
“Shit? G I thought by now you would have learnt how to d-”  
“GET OUT OH MY GOD” Gio said pointing to the door as Jordan cackled and Max tried to hold back his laughter, hiding his smile from Gio but getting caught by Jordan. They weren’t close but every time Max laughed at something he did, Jordan felt more and more comfortable around the couple.  
“Key” Gio said, realizing that Jordan still had their room key, pointing to the table next to where Jordan was standing. He put the key card on the table and walked over to the door.  
“G your tone may be angry but I can tell from your boner that I haven’t really killed the mood” He smirked one final time, closing the door before the pillow Giovanni had thrown hit him. They both let out a scoffing laugh, that boy was ridiculous.   
“Sooooo” Gio cooed as he crawled over to Max, who was still sitting on the end of the bed. He wrapped his arms around his bare torso, their naked skin touching as Max’s back rested into Gio’s embrace as the young man trailed kisses up his shoulder and neck “Do you still want to-” Max cut him off, turning and pushing him back on the bed before crawling back on top of him and resuming where they left off.

 

The morning of the finale airing Max sat up in his hotel bed and reached for his phone, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he answered the call.  
“Hello” He said groggily, looking over at the alarm clock. It was 10am.  
“Max it’s me” Jordan said on the other end of the phone. “Sorry to wake you but can you please talk to him? He’s not eating and he’s just sitting out on the fire escape” Jordan wasn’t exactly a very emotive person, but it was clear he was feeling shaken just from the tone in his voice. Although he pretended he didn’t have a care in the world, he did care about Giovanni like he was his own twin brother.  
“Yeah of course, give me 2 seconds” Max got out of bed quickly pulling on a pair of sweatpants and stepping out onto the balcony so he didn’t wake Katelyn, still dead asleep, in the bed next to his.  
“Hey babe” Giovanni said, oddly emotionless.  
“Hey baby, how are you feeling?” Max knew something was up.  
Giovanni shut the window, creating a divide between him and his team of stylists and designers and friends who were crammed into their small apartment.   
“I’m just nervous. Everyone’s rooting for me, I mean there’s a chance I won’t win. What if I let everyone down?” He sounded so scared over the phone.  
“Baby I know you’re scared but I have a good feeling this is going to go your way. You killed it at the finale. If they crown Kameron or Eureka they’d be crazy”  
All Max got back was a “Hmm” as Gio looked out over the street below him and out towards Manhattan in the distance.  
“It’s going to be ok Gio. No matter what happens tonight you’re my winner. You’re the best that there is. Everyone knows that. You’ve stolen this fandom’s heart, and mine”   
A small whimpered sob coursed through the phone to Max’s ear. “I just wish you were here with me; you make everything better. Even now, the sound of your voice, you know the right things to say. I miss you” He could hear Gio start to cry, which made him tear up as he leant against the wall. WoW had made it very clear that they wanted queens to be scattered around the country for the finale, especially Miz Cracker who was mysteriously booked for the finale in Mexico City of all places. Clearly WoW wanted to do everything in their power to stop them from even trying to pull anything or, god forbid, Max and Gio chose the night of the finale to go public with their relationship.  
“I know Gio, I wish I was there too” Max wiped his face and tried his best to keep his voice steady, not wanting Giovanni to know he was crying too. “Promise me that you’ll eat something before the show tonight. And please try to have fun tonight, get drunk, party no matter what happens. I’ll call you tonight either way”  
“I love you Max” Gio said softly.  
“I love you too baby. I’ll talk to you soon” Max waited for Giovanni to hang up the phone, in case he had something else to say. He pulled up Jordan’s number as he stood in the warm sun.

Cracker 10:23am: He’s nervous, just give him some space. He’ll start getting ready soon  
Stawecki 10:24am: I lived with him for years and I’ve never seen him this nervous before  
Cracker 10:25am: Make sure only the necessary people are in the room, send everyone else out to lunch. Order him in some sushi, but not too much because you don’t want him feeling sick and he can’t stop himself when he starts eating the stuff  
Cracker 10:25am: Oh and get him some yellow red bull, it’s his favorite  
Cracker 10:26am: OH ONE MORE THING, there’s a playlist on his phone that’s just all of ARTPOP, the Cure, and that Troye Sivan song Dance to this. It’s his favorite playlist so have it playing in the background but not too loudly so he can focus  
Stawecki 10:28am: You are too good to him I STG it makes me want to puke  
Cracker 10:28am: What can I say, I love him too much  
Stawecki 10:28am: You really do  
Cracker 10:34am: Jordan, can I ask for a favor?  
Stawecki 10:36am: Yeah  
Cracker 10:36am: Can you keep my updated tonight  
Stawecki 10:36am: Of course I can  
Stawecki 10:37am: I’m sorry you can’t be here  
Cracker 10:37am : Just take care of him for me  
Stawecki 10:38am: I promise  
Cracker 10:38am: Thank you 

Max went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. He stood in the warm water, letting the noise of the running water drown out the sound of his sobs that he tried so hard to hold back. He didn’t want Katelyn to worry, which she always did anyway. Dealing with the realities of their busy schedules was hard on both of them. While they missed each other every day, it was these days that hurt them the most to not be there for. Most normal days when they could spend time together their connection was stronger than ever, like they were magnetically attached but no amount of time together would make up for them having to spend this specific day apart. Max dried his eyes and body with the fluffy hotel towel and checked his phone again.

Stawecki 11:08am: You were right about it all, he’s in a much better mood  
Stawecki 11:10am: Also thought you’d like this, he doesn’t know I took it so don’t let him know I ship the two of you as much as I do   
Stawecki 11:10am: *Picture sent*

Max opened the picture. It was of Gio at his vanity, a finger on a photo of the two of them cuddled up on the couch that Jordan took one night, that he had put in the frame of the mirror. The softest most loving smile on his face. Max beamed at his phone.

Cracker 11:16am: Awwww, knew there was a softy deep, deep, deep down in you Jordan

“You’re either talking to Gio or looking at a picture of Gio” Katelyn said as she stretched out in her bed. Max smiled and sat down on her bed next to her.  
“Jordan sent me a picture of him” Max said bashfully as he passed the phone to Katelyn. He watched as she smiled as she looked at the screen. She leant over and hugged him.  
“What’s this for?” Max asked as Katelyn squeezed him, rocking them side to side gently.  
“I’m just happy for you Max. I know you want to be in New York right now but you’ll see him soon. You have a gig together in a week” Max nodded and smiled even though he still felt upset about not being in New York tonight.  
“come on let’s go get some lunch”

The next few hours flew by as Gio got ready in their Brooklyn apartment surrounded by his closest friends and his mom. He couldn’t have been more thankful to live in New York than he did right now. He was able to get ready in his own space, with everything he owned at his disposal. He had done a simpler makeup look today than Aquaria had been known for in the past, a subtle smokey eye with a red lip, classic and polished. The look had staying power too for whichever way the decision swung. He had tucked and put on the tights but over it all he still wore one of Max’s sweatshirts, specifically the one he had slept in the last time they saw each other. It still smelt ever so faintly of Max and he refused to take it off till the last possible second.  
“Necklace?” Jordan asked as he placed his hands on Giovanni’s shoulders in the mirror. Every head in the room turned and looked at the star that lay alone on Gio’s bare chest. Jordan had become the keeper of the necklace while they were on tour, taking it off him before each gig so that no one would ever see Max’s name hanging around his neck, and putting it back immediately after.   
Gio shook his head, looking at Jordan in the mirror with a soft smile as his hand came up to the pendant. “I need him with me in some way tonight” Nothing else was said, every head in the room nodded, Gina giving him a supportive nod as she reached out and squeezed his hand gently, seeing how upset and nervous he was without Max.

Gio was silent the entire car ride to the viewing party. Aquaria’s gown was everything he could have ever dreamed of, from the print to the structure, every detail was as he had envisioned. The moment they exited the car it was time to fully embody Aquaria for the cameras and for the fans. She was confident, strutting the red carpet like it was a catwalk, posing like this was her VOUGE cover shoot. Gina and Jordan were led to the main viewing room where they had front row seats for the finale, leaving Gio with his sisters. Seeing Asia, Kameron and Eureka was just what he needed to keep him distracted and feeling safe. Especially Asia who had reached out when she heard that Max would be in a different country for the finale. She had stepped up with both of them, so much that Max no longer held any resentment towards her after seeing how good she was to the two of them. Asia held Gio’s hand tight, laying a hand on his chest once the cameras were away and smiling as she felt the star underneath the dress. They were escorted into a room with a camera, a couch, and a TV. Once the episode started there was no turning back, the four of them sat their hearts racing even though they knew everything that they were about to see, they had lived it after all. Gio rubbed Asia’s leg during the whole butterfly fiasco, knowing how much it had upset her with how horribly wrong it went. He gritted his teeth when the double shantay happened. He wasn’t mad at Eureka but watching it again brought up the frustration he had felt when it happened to him in real life. It was like a reminder from WoW that the things you do and say come back to bite you, and him and Max were all too aware of that given the hoops they had been jumping through to appease WoW to give Gio a fighting chance. Gio froze during the final lip-sync, he hated to brag but watching it made him feel confident about his performance. A brief moment’s eye contact with Kameron let them both know that they knew it was between the two of them for the title. The 4 of them grasped hands as the end drew near, Gio unable to stop shaking.  
“The Winner of Rupaul’s Drag Race, America’s Next Drag Superstar is” Ru said, her words slower than ever in all 4 of their heads.

Max and Katelyn both lowered their head in their hands as they sat in the small bar, the episode projected on a screen in front of them.  
“Please, please let it be him” Max whispered to himself. He felt sick to his stomach. Had they done enough, had they played WoW’s game the way they wanted them to play it. Gio had certainly done enough, the clear best lip-sync performance out of the 3 of them, but was their relationship enough for that to not count.  
“Aquaria” Max went into shock as Rupaul said Aquaria’s name, he looked over at Katelyn who was looking back at him, equally shocked but also concerned for what was going through Max’s brain right now. He’d done it, Max thought as he watched Aquaria prance around the stage with her scepter. Gio had just won Drag Race. And he wasn’t there to celebrate with him. On the most important day of his career, he wasn’t able to be there. Katelyn could see behind the stony expression what feelings Max was experiencing. Elation, frustration, angry, sorrow, and most of all, pride. She extended her hand, rubbing the back of his until he was ready to finish his hosting requirements and leave to call Giovanni.

Gio’s head spun as Asia shook him and the tears welled in his eyes as his face contorted into a crying smiley mess. That really just happened, he just won drag race. All the time and effort and years spent dreaming of this moment were finally his reality. Yet it still felt like a dream. Someone came to let them out of the room and took them to where Jordan and his mom met him, Gio couldn’t help but cry the happiest tears as they held him. He looked up at Jordan’s crying face, bringing him in for his own hug.  
“You’re the best friend a girl could ask for” He whispered as he felt Jordan sob on his shoulder.  
“I can’t believe you did that bitch”  
Gio latched onto him mom, this was all so overwhelming.  
“I am so proud of you” His mom said, a mix of tears and the biggest smile he’d ever seen.  
“I couldn’t have done it without you, thank you so much mom” He held her tight, not caring how far he had to bob in his extremely high heels to do so. His mother had been so supportive of him from day one, she truly was his biggest fan. He leant back, both of them still holding onto one another and took in the pride on his mother’s face, a look he would never forget. Before they knew it he was being taken out to the main floor where it all became so real when the crown was secured to his head. By this point the season 10 girls were used to rooms of people screaming their names, but this was something different. The thunderous applause and the chanting, all Gio could do was stand there and try to take it in. He was so grateful for all of this, almost feeling undeserving of this level of love and support. Gio remembered that he gave a long speech but he couldn’t tell you what he said, it was all like a blur even as he was talking. Maybe he really couldn’t string a sentence together around anyone other than Max. He found Jordan and his Mom again, after he was quite literally pulled in a million directions by the people around him. They walked back to the dressing room, finally getting some time alone with Jordan and a few other friends.  
“I have to call Max” Gio said with a smile, able to finally say it now that the cameras were gone.  
“I’ve already got him for you” Jordan smiled, he had known from the moment that they started going to the dressing room that Gio would want to talk to Max immediately. He passed his phone over to Gio as the other people in the room left, leaving just the two of them for this private moment. Gio mouthed a thankyou before putting the phone to his ear.  
“Hiiiiiii” He said, excited to get to hear Max’s voice.  
“Baby! I don’t even know how to describe how proud I am of you” Gio beamed as he listened, the pride in Max’s voice was crystal clear “I knew you would win, of course you would win. How are you feeling right now?”  
“I, I just, ahhhhhhhhhh, it’s surreal and crazy and I don’t think it’s really sunk in and oh my god I can’t wait to show you the crown” Gio rambled, garnering a giggle from Max.  
“We need to make her her own place of honor in the apartment”   
“Like Bianca’s glass case?” Gio suggested.  
“If our current reigning wants a glass case then I shall build her a glass case” They both laughed.  
“I just can’t believe this is real babe” Gio’s voice softened as he sat back on a couch.   
“But it is baby, it’s real, you’ve done it. I am so proud of you, honestly I went into shock when you won. It was just an overwhelming sense of pride and happiness; I couldn’t even move. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling.”  
“I can imagine someone’s filmed your reaction and is taking it out of context” Gio knew how social media worked.  
“Yep, Trixie just sent me the link. Apparently I’m angry you won”  
“You sound sooooo mad” Gio giggled, the most perfect sound in the world to Max.  
“I’m fuming” Max chuckled sarcastically  
Gio paused for a few moment’s contemplating what to say next, but decided to go with his gut “I wish you were here to celebrate tonight with me”   
Max’s heart hitched in his chest briefly. “I know baby, but we’re seeing each other in a couple days and then we have Fire Island and a couple days in New York together. Don’t think I won’t spoil you just because you’re with one with the hundred thousand dollars” He said in a bid to lighten the mood.  
“You’re always spoiling me” Gio smiled as he thought of all the cute and romantic gestures Max had made in the past few weeks, let alone the past few months of them dating.  
“And I’ll never stop. Now you go and have the time of your life my love. I love you I love you I love you so fucking much, I am so proud to call you the love of my life” Max gushed causing Gio to swoon even more.  
“I love you too babe, I’ll talk to you in the morning” Gio said, knowing very well that he’d be disgustingly hungover by then.  
“Love you, bye my queen” Max said as Gio hung up the phone. He passed Jordan back his phone and smiled. Max was right, he deserved to celebrate his win, and that he did. Once they left the studio it became a weird blur of drinks and a stage and friends and family. They finally stumbled back into the apartment at around 6am, by some stroke of luck they also had the crown and scepter with them. Jordan barely made it to the couch before passing out, a mixture of drunk and exhaustion. Gio smirked at the sight he had seen many times in their 2 years of living together. He de dragged, just putting on underwear so he could enjoy the freedom of not being in drag after 13 hours. Climbing into bed he still kept to one side. No matter how much Jordan complained about how uncomfortable the couch was, no one was going to sleep on Max’s side of the bed but Max. Gio reached out a hand and grabbed Max’s pillow, holding it close to his chest and breathing in the comforting scent as he drifted off.

It may have been the worst night’s sleep of Max’s life. He spent the entire night going through Instagram stories, watching Aquaria’s winning party go on until the early hours of the morning. His mind would go off on tangents and something stuck so hard that it didn’t move, not even at 1 in the afternoon. This thought had first hit him the night of their first fight, remembering the conversation they had in bed before Gio fell asleep so perfectly in his arms. Forever, forever.  
“Hey do I have any day’s off this week before the 3rd?” Max asked Katelyn as he reentered the room with their lunch, handing Katelyn her burrito bowl. He was meant to be seeing Gio on the 3rd in Ohio for a joint gig but he couldn’t wait that long. Katelyn pulled out her diary and looked over the packed schedule.   
“Ummmm, yeah you do actually. You have tomorrow night off” She closed the planner and opened up her lunch, taking a bite.  
Multiple dates and plans scanned through Max’s head “Do you think you could get me on a flight back to Mexico City tomorrow at 2pm?” Katelyn gave him a concerning look.  
“I mean I could tryyyy”   
Max didn’t want to say much about what was going on in his head but he could tell by Katelyn’s face that she was worried about him. “I just need to see him Katelyn. It’s so hard being away, especially after all of this going on. I need to be with him closer than the 3rd” Katelyn nodded, seeing how important this was to her best friend in the whole world.  
“Ok give me a few minutes, but I’m not coming with you. I’m not spending 8 extra hours on a plane if I don’t have to” Max nodded, she had a fair point. Within minutes Katelyn had the flights booked and Max was on the phone with Jordan co coordinating the surprise of him being there. They were out to lunch at one of the nice restaurants around the apartment, but Gio was so busy trying to reply to everyone’s messages that Jordan could get through the entire planning without Gio realizing he hadn’t looked up from his phone the entire time. Max had 1 final call to make, and that was to Gio’s mother, Gina. He left the hotel room, telling Katelyn he was going for a walk. It was nice to feel the heat of the summer sun on his skin as he sat down in a nearby park to make his phone call.  
“Hey Max! how are you sweetie?” She answered, she was the sweetest lady.  
“I’m so happy Gina. I think I’m the only other person who can imagine how proud you are right now” They both laughed “Are you still by chance in Brooklyn?”  
“Yeah, but I’m leaving for the airport in a couple of hours, what’s up honey?”  
“Could you do me a massive favor and go to our apartment right now. I need your help with a surprise for Giovanni. I’d ask Jordan to help but he’s taken him out to lunch”  
“I’m actually right around the corner”  
“Great call me back when you get there” Max was so thankful they had decided to give Gina a key to the apartment. He also really didn’t want Jordan to know the full extent of what was happening either. He was a blabber mouth and Gio’s best friend, there was no way he could keep a secret from him. He was scrolling through twitter, reading all the hate people were giving him for not having a big enough reaction when Gina called him back.   
“Ok I’m in your apartment honey, we should make this quick. I told him I’d meet him around the corner in 20, didn’t want him to come home and wonder what I was doing if it’s going to be a surprise” Max smiled at the idea of Gina trying to help him with his plan, even though she didn’t actually know what was going on.  
Max laughed “Thank you Gina, now I need you to go over to my drag, it’s the side of the room that’s a lot more pink and actually covers an ass”  
“Ok” She laughed at his choice of wording to differentiate their drag.  
“Now open the tub labeled hip pads and tits, I hid it in there”   
“Why there?” Gina asked as he heard her move the tubs around to get to the one he asked for, which was in the middle of the stack.  
“It’s the one thing in my drag he doesn’t go through” They both laughed, it really was a genius hiding place if you thought about it.  
“Ok I’ve got the tub, what am I looking for?” Max loved hearing that Italian Philly accent jump out every now and then.  
“You’re looking for a box, just rummage through” Max started biting his nails, his heart beat racing all of a sudden.  
“A box, what kind of box?, this is a big tub, what size box?”  
“You’ll know it when you see it, it’s the only thing in there that’s not squishy”  
“Damn you put on big hips, I mean I’ve seen you perform but this is-” Her voice cut off abruptly and he knew she had found it “Max is this-”  
“Yeah, it is” He cut her off, her voice had become quiet and he could tell he was shocked. She gasped;  
“Oh it’s stunning” She sounded like she was tearing up.  
“I hope he likes it” Max smiled coyly at the ground.  
“How could he not” There was a brief silence “oh wait, ok what do you want me to do with this?” Gina said, the haste returning to her voice  
Max snapped out of his day dream “I need you to mail it to me here. I need it express, I’m flying to meet him tomorrow night so I need it here in less than 24 hours. Whatever the cost is I’ll pay you back, I just need it here”  
“It’s on me. There’s a post office around the corner. I’ll take it there now”  
Max smiled “Thank you Gina, I’ll text you the address”  
“It’s my pleasure son. I’ll talk to you soon” She hung up and Max sighed. He knew it must have seemed silly to book a flight in order to save himself a few days of waiting but something felt so right, and he had waited so long to have this moment with him.

Gio groaned as he wheeled the suitcase into the elevator, holding the door for Jordan who was piled high with bags of gifts and garments. He had a cap over his hair, which was a mess from the wig cap. And he was dressed casually in a tank top and shorts, liking to be comfortable after dealing with the uncomfortable aspects of his job.  
“Can we stop bringing the “If” costume with us, it takes up its own bag, it’s so weirdly shaped” Jordan complained.  
“People want to see it and I’m here to give the people what they want” He said with a dramatic flair.  
“A current reigning for the people but not for her assistant who has to carry everything the people want to see”  
Gio cocked his head to the side questioningly “You’re carrying a costume and a bag of letters and gifts, I have the suitcase and the makeup, we’re even” Jordan just rolled his eyes playfully. They got out of the elevator, Gio walking over to his hotel door and Jordan going to his. “Are you not going to put that stuff in my room?” He questioned.  
“Ummm nah, I’ll leave it in mine for the night” That was strange, Jordan hated having Aquaria’s stuff in his room, and he always put the fan gifts in Gio’s room so he could go through them after a show.  
“Are you sure, do you want to watch some tv or something? I’m not that tired”  
“good”  
“huh” Gio raised an eyebrow, which he was also confused as to why Jordan had convinced him to draw back on after the show.  
“I meant ummm I’m really tired, I might just go crash in my room” Jordan stammered, for god sake why wouldn’t Gio just go into his hotel room.  
“That’s weird it’s only midnight, wait” Gio’s head turned toward the door “Do you smell vanilla?” He watched as Jordan’s eyes darted around.  
“uhhhhhhhh nope sorry bye, have a good night” Jordan rambled before quickly going into his hotel room, closing the door behind him. Smooth, Gio thought. He swiped his key card, noting the warm glow that came out as he opened the door. He pulled the suitcase into the small hallway of the hotel room before rounding the small corner.   
“Max!” He whispered, shocked but elated. The room filled with over a dozen candles, which explained the vanilla scent. Max stood in the center of the room, wearing a pair of black jeans and white button up shirt, the first 3 buttons left undone and the sleeves rolled up in the summer heat. They rushed towards one another, Gio’s hands wrapping around the back of Max’s neck as the older queen encircled his waist and pulled them together, their lips meeting. “What are you doing here?” Gio beamed as he leant back, running his hands over Max’s head and chest as if to check he wasn’t dreaming before resting over Max’s heart.  
“I had a night off and couldn’t wait the 3 extra days” Max smiled as Gio lowered his head to connect their lips once more. Gio’s hands came up to hold each side of Max’s face as he melted in his hand. Before he knew it, Max had lifted him off the ground and lowered him onto the bed as he felt him lean onto him. Even after all the nights they spent together Max adored the way Gio would become weak in his embrace. The younger man pulled Max down on top of him, not wanting to part with him for even a second of their short time together.   
“I can’t believe you went too all this trouble to surprise me tonight” Gio said as Max moved his lips down his jaw and onto his neck, Gio letting out a soft moan at the light biting.  
“I wanted tonight to be special” Max said, making his way back up Gio’s neck, smiling at the goosebumps that had appeared under his touch.  
“You’re here” Gio put a delicate finger under Max’s chin, raising it so their eyes met “What could be more special than that?” His gaze was so soft and loving.   
There was no time like the present, Max reached into his pocket back pocket as Gio was lost in their gaze, caressing the side of his face before pulling them back together for a long, slow, passionate kiss. Max pulled back, Gio’s hands still on either side of his face.  
“I’d hoped this would be more special” Max whispered in the short space between them, holding a small black velvet box up next to them. Giovanni stared at the box, Max could tell he was confused but at the same time, had an idea of what was going on as his mouth stayed parted in shock. He turned back to his boyfriend, sitting upright as Max stood up.  
“Max?” Gio said in a soft, breathy, and confused voice as he looked up at his boyfriend, feeling the tears coming on as he began to piece everything together.  
Max took one of Gio’s hands in his, kissing the back of it as the younger queen stared at him with wide doe eyes “Giovanni Palandrani" He opened the ring box with his other hand as he lowered himself down onto one knee.   
“Oh my god” Gio uttered as he brought his free hand over his smile as he felt tears well in his eyes.  
“I love you with all of my heart. I don’t know what I would do without you. Not being there the other day made it even more clear to me that I want to be by your side for the rest of my life. I have never loved anyone the way I love you, and you’ve taught me what it’s like to be loved” Max took a deep breath, not wanting to cry, as Gio squeezed his hand. The time for holding back tears was long gone for the younger queen who was trying his best to wipe them away with his free hand. Max took another deep breath “Giovanni, will you marry me?” Without hesitation Gio nodded frantically.  
“Yes! YES! Oh my god YES! YES YES YES YES YES” His smile reached from ear to ear as Max stood up. The two of them closing the space between them and pulling each other together once more as Gio kneeled on the bed, making them a level height as they held onto one another. They couldn’t help but smile during their kisses, a quick giggle escaping from each of them. Max pulled back for a moment, he didn’t think he had ever been this happy in his life as he looked over his, now fiancé’s, beaming smile. “Oh the ring Max!” Gio said giddily. Max took the box out again, and the ring with it. As Gio sat down on the bed and held out his hand expectantly it felt like a movie. He slid the ring onto his slender fingers, the small amount of resistance letting Max know it wasn’t too tight but also wouldn’t fall off. Gio’s heart felt like it had stopped in his chest. Max let go of his hand and sat down behind him on the bed to let Gio inspect the ring. It was a thin band with diamond’s encrusted around the entire perimeter and one larger stone that sat in the center. Max rubbed both of his arms before resting his hands on Gio’s waist and his head on his shoulder, watching him move the ring around to see every angle.  
“Do you like it?” Max asked as he placed a kiss on the point where Gio’s neck and shoulder met, sending butterflies through the young queen’s stomach again.  
“Are you kidding? I love it” Gio craned his head around to gently meet Max’s lips, Max cradling him as he turned him in his arms and lifted him onto his lap. Gio’s phone buzzed on the bedside table next to them and they both turned to see who it was. It was just a twitter notification but under it Gio could see some missed texts. He picked up the phone

Stawecki 12:34am: BITCH I get that you two haven’t seen each other in a while but if you don’t stop screaming YES and OH MY GOD I will literally call security on you  
Stawecki 12:35am: It can’t be THAT good

He showed Max the message, the older queen raising an eyebrow.  
“Well if he hadn’t been so black out drunk on the couch all those times he would have heard us and would know that it can be that good” Max said defensively, making Gio giggle.  
He held Max’s face with one hand gently “You’re that good, for me” He leant in for a quick peck. “wait was Jordan in on this because he was acting really weird all day”  
“He knew I was coming into town but he didn’t know I was proposing. Do you really think I’d trust him to keep a secret like that?” He was right and Gio nodded in agreement before it dawned on him.  
“Oh My God!” He caught himself, lowering his voice “he doesn’t know!” Max nodded seeing how excited he was to tell the important people in his life. Gio unlocked his phone.

Aquaria 12:55am: It’s actually better than you can imagine! Get in here!  
Stawecki 12:56am: Excuse me????? Not in this lifetime

Gio looked confused at the response. Max looked over at the screen and laughed.  
“You realize how that sounds right?”   
Gio realized a few seconds later. “Oh. OH. Oh god no”

Aquaria 12:58am: I didn’t mean THAT  
Aquaria 12:58am: Come in here you’re not going to believe it

A minute later there was a knock at the door. Gio got up off the bed and rounded the corner, just out of sight, to open the door. Max sat there waiting for a reaction, which he got only a few moments after Gio opened the door, light pouring into the room.  
“What?” Jordan said, clearly tired. “Is that?” Now he was confused “BITCH WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SERIOUS” and now he was excited. Max smiled as he saw the shadows on the floor hugging and jumping up and down. He got up off the bed and walked slowly into the view of the hallway. Jordan saw him over Gio’s shoulder.  
“You sly little” Jordan said as he crossed the room, a smile on his face and tears in his eyes as he did so. He pulled Max into a strong hug. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” He said as he stepped out of the hug and Gio walked over.   
“I wanted to make sure it was a surprise” Max said as he wrapped an arm around Gio’s waist, his hand against the side of his hip as the younger man nestled against him and rested a hand on his chest, showing off the ring proudly. “The only person who knew was Gina” He said nonchalantly to the room.  
“MY MOM KNEW!” Gio lightly hit Max’s chest in shock.  
“Yeah she actually sent the ring back from New York”   
Gio paused for a moment. Max hadn’t been in New York for quite some time “Max how long have you had this?” His eyes were soft, knowing that he must have had it for at least a few weeks. Max looked at the floor bashfully.   
“Do you remember that fight we had after the premiere?” he looked up as Gio nodded slowly in response “I got it the next day”  
There was a stunned silence in the room. Gio was looking at Max as though he was about to tell him it was all a joke.  
“Wait” Jordan said, breaking the silence “that’s like 3 months”  
“3 months and 10 days if you want to be exact” Max lifted his hand onto Gio’s against his chest, feeling the ring under his fingers. Gio’s mind was in shock as he realized that Max decided he wanted to propose to him for so long. He couldn’t help but smile as he looked down into Max’s eyes, nothing else in the world mattered in the world other than him in Gio’s mind at that moment.  
“I love you” Gio caressed Max’s bicep as the older queen rubbed his hip.  
“I love you too baby” Max said through a smile as Gio leant in for several gentle kisses.  
“Ok I feel like I’m intruding now so I’m just going to-” Jordan paused as he backed away towards the door “You idiots aren’t even listening to me are you?”  
“We are, we’re just waiting for you to leave” Max said, not moving his gaze from Gio’s eyes.  
Jordan scoffed a soft laugh “If I wasn’t so happy for you, I’d slap you. Have a good niiiight”  
“Oh we will” Gio’s voice was low and seductive as he leaned up against Max. They didn’t even wait for the door to close and the lock to catch before Gio brought their lips together. Their mouths were hungry for one another as Max’s hands trailed over Gio’s ass, squeezing lightly and getting a giggle out of the younger queen. The moment Max pushed them back onto the bed their kiss became more intimate. The hunger was still there but now it had been replaced with time, a luxury they didn’t have together often. Max pulled Gio’s tank top off before the younger queen’s slender fingers made quick work of the buttons on Max’s shirt as he lay below him on the bed. He sat up, straddling Gio’s hips, as he looked down at the man beneath him. Their hands traveled over each other’s bare torsos, as Max took in the sight of black hair contrasting white sheets and perfect brown eyes that he could get lost in forever.   
“Hang on” Max got up, Gio whining at the loss of his body from his, and blew out the candles in the room, only leaving the one burning on the bedside. Gio, who had discarded his shorts while Max blew out the candles, held out his hand to invite Max back to the bed as he smiled at the mood that Max had set. The older queen stripped down to his boxers before laying back down next to Gio, trailing kisses up his collar bone to his neck as Gio’s long legs slinked around him to bring them close in the soft sheets. “We don’t have to rush tonight baby” Max said, feeling Gio’s head fall back as a moan escaped his parted lips in response to the gentle kneading of his hips under Max’s fingers.  
“You’re cute when you’re cliché” Gio said as he lowered his head so their lips would connect once again. Max trailed a hand down his defined torso before sliding into his underwear and lightly chuckling.  
“Well that explains why you’re in a rush” He smiled as his traced Gio’s jaw with his lips, his hand slowly teasing him.  
“I’m sorry I’m touch starved and insanely sexually attracted to my fiancé” It was the first time one of them had said it out loud, both of them smiling at the sound of how naturally it came out of Gio’s mouth.  
“Screw it, I’ll sleep on the plane” Max grabbed Gio by the back of the neck with his free hand, his other hand quickly getting to work under the covers, and pulled them together. 

They stayed there, kissing, touching, exploring each other’s body with a new found appreciation and desire in a state of pure ecstasy, until the sun began to rise. Gio collapsed on top of Max as they hit yet another climax, their panting chests pressed together as Max kissed the top of his head. Gio rolled off, both of them cleaning themselves up quickly before Max nestled up against his chest. They were both completely exhausted but happy.  
“Still feeling touch starved?” Max joked, making Giovanni laugh.  
“It’ll get me through the next 2 nights without you” He joked as he rubbed Max’s arm, holding him close knowing they both had flights in the next 8 hours.   
“I don’t want to leave” Max said on the verge of sleep as he lightly traced shapes on Gio’s abdomen.  
“I don’t want you to leave either” He said into Max’s messy hair “I love you Max”  
“I love you too” He managed to mutter before finally falling asleep.  
Gio watched as the light through the window shone through the diamonds on his ring, causing little rainbow streaks to dance on Max’s bare skin. Perfect, Gio thought. In this moment, his life was perfect. He took out his phone and opened his Instagram story. He lifted his arm, filming himself and Max shirtless and all cuddled up in bed with Max gently sleeping on his chest. Gio smiled and kissed the top of his head as the video timed out. He watched the clip over and over again, contemplating if posting it was a good idea. Max squeezed him gently, muttering Gio’s name ever so softly in his sleep. He even dreamed about Gio when he was in his arms. He hit post and snuggled down next to Max as he rolled over slightly to let Gio spoon him, not caring as notifications silently lit up his phone on the bedside. They had kept up their end of the deal but now that the show was over and they were about to start this next part of their lives together, WoW and the producers didn’t have that control over them. No one could tell him not to openly love Max anymore. He didn’t have anything to worry about any more. Well, nothing except the dream wedding that he had already begun to plan in his head.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people in this world choose not to believe when their faves find someone. Other's accept it but just don't respect it. This is what Max and Gio are faced with in the aftermath of Gio posting that video that night.

Gio pulled the covers over his eyes, turning over as Max nudged him.   
“Baaaabe” Max cooed as he leant down and rested his head on Gio’s shoulder “why do we have a million notifications pouring in and about 50 missed calls each” Gio’s eyes shot open, not turning even though Max knew he was awake. Gio slowly turned over in Max’s embrace, biting his lip, looking like a guilty child who had just been caught out. “Baby, what did you do?” Max asked, a little worried given the expression that was looking back at him.  
“Well, I, um, I may have” Gio stumbled as he looked up at Max “I may have posted a video of us in bed last night after you fell asleep on my Instagram story” shining a bashfully guilty smile, still awfully pleased with himself. Max’s jaw dropped but he couldn’t hold back the smile that Gio’s expression brought out of him. Max picked up his phone, sitting up in bed, and opened Instagram, immediately going to Gio’s story. As he watched the short video Gio lifted himself onto his elbow, a hand slowly stroking Max’s bicep. He couldn’t help but notice the smile on Max’s face. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you before I posted it. You just looked so cute and-”  
“Baby do you think I’m mad?” Max said, confused but with a wide smile.  
“You’re not?” Gio said wide eyed.  
“How could I be mad” He replied as he leant in and kissed Gio, laughing softly against his lips when the younger man straddled his lap. “I’m happy you did it” He took Gio’s hand, kissing the engagement ring. “I want the entire world to know I’m yours” He said adoringly, pulling Gio in tightly against him.  
“And I’m yours” Gio replied, running a hand through Max’s messy bed hair. Max lifted his phone, noting the time.  
“Ugh we have to be at the airport in 3 hours” He said, still rubbing Gio’s thigh tenderly. Gio pouted briefly but then one eyebrow shot up and he looked at Max with that smirk he knew all too well.  
“So what you’re saying is that we should get in the shower?” He said playfully, resting his hands on Max’s shoulders.  
Max let out a breathy chuckle. “Baby you know I want to, buuuuut, we’ve got to be out of here in like an hour and a half” Smirking back up at Gio who trailed his hands over Max’s bare chest.  
“Good thing we’re still naked then” Leaning in to whisper in Max’s ear “saves me time undressing you” He jumped off Max’s lap with a wink, taking his hand and pulling him up off the bed and to the bathroom.

Max was sitting on top of Gio’s suitcase, both of them trying to get the mess of everything they threw in there closed, when Jordan knocked. Max had been right about their time in the shower making them late, by the time they got out they had only 30 minutes to pack and get down stairs. When they stumbled out of the bathroom, Gio’s arms still wrapped around Max’s waist and kissing his neck, they were in their perfect euphoric bubble until they saw the time. In their rush they just started throwing things into Gio’s suitcase, pushing everything down and trying to zip the bag up for the last 5 minutes.  
“Hey love birds! the car’s waiting!” Jordan called from outside the room. Gio got up to let him in, Max taking over with the suitcase. “Are you ready?” Jordan asked as he walked into the room.  
“This fucking case won’t-”  
“DID IT!” Max said victoriously throwing his hands up in the air.  
“And just when I thought I couldn’t love you more” Gio said, leaning down to kiss Max gently “mmmm, good job babe” He said as he parted their lips. “Ok we’re ready” Turning back to Jordan with a smile.  
“How is it that you two make me believe in love and want to puke at the same time?” Jordan said, shaking his head at the two of them as Max grabbed his backpack off the bed and Gio started wheeling his suitcases to the door.  
“Aww” Max said, sarcastically leaning his head to the side as he put a hand on Jordan’s shoulder. “I’m taking that as a compliment” Jordan admitting defeat with a soft chuckle. He never said it out loud but they all knew he loved them as a couple. Once they were out of the hotel room Max took one of Gio’s suitcases, dividing the 4 suitcases he and Jordan travelled with between them. Even though Jordan got into the passenger seat, Gio still chose to sit in the middle seat in the back so that he could rest his head on Max’s shoulder. Jordan saw them in in the rear view mirror and turned to them, a light smile on his face at seeing his best friend so happy.  
“I don’t know why so many people don’t think that’s you in the video Max” Jordan said nonchalantly.  
Max and Gio looked at each other and then back to Jordan. “What? Who’s saying that?” Max said, confused and oddly angry at the idea that people didn’t think it was him.  
“Oh, it’s like all people are talking about on twitter and insta” Both of them took out their phones, finally checking their social media and seeing what Jordan was talking about. “I mean you can’t blame them, like don’t get me wrong it was a cute video, but you took it from a weird angle and barely showed his face G”   
Gio went back and re-watched the video, Jordan had a point. Of course he could tell it was Max but he could see why people could also think it wasn’t him. As Max read through comments he couldn’t help but notice some of the cruel comments some people were leaving on posts people were making about the video.

“You’re all crazy. How could those two be dating”

“If that is Cracker, then Aquaria must have low standards”

“Aquaria could do better”

He rolled his eyes, he’d taken a lot of hate over his reaction to Aquaria’s win but this was different. There was something that stung about people attacking their relationship. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind, not letting dumb comments ruin such a wonderful 24 hours. While Max had been in his head, Gio had opened up his insta story, selecting a quick filter given the lack of sleep he got last night. Gio cleared his throat and sat up, Max seeing that he was about to start filming. Watching Gio find his angle in his phone was always funny to Max. “Wait” Max interjected before Gio began his live video. Gio looked up at him, concerned at the scared tone in his voice. “Can we not tell them we’re engaged on a Live. Can we take nice engagement photos and then post it after we’ve told the people we actually know and are close to first?” He held onto Gio’s hand, rubbing his fingers and playing with the ring. Gio nodded and gave him a quick kiss. He wanted that to be special just as much as Max did, so it was an easy ask. He sat up straight to find some decent light before taking in a deep breath.  
“Good morning everyone, I hope you’re all having an amazing day. I’m on my way to the airport after a lovely evening. We’ve got Jordan in the front, we’re gonna actually make it to the flight on time, and I’ve got a special someone in the car with me” He started the live video, glancing over at Max whose face was still out of frame, as he put on more of Aquaria’s voice than he usually used out of drag. “I just wanted to come on here and quickly make something clear” He paused for a moment as he waited for the amount of people watching the live stream to grow. “So clearly a few of you are confused as to who was in my story, and in my bed, this morning” He had that cheeky grin that Max loved so much on his face. Gio turned briefly and caught Max smiling at him “Ok, I was gonna do a big ol’ speech and build this up to a reveal but he’s smiling at me and I need you to see how cute he is” He turned the camera to Max “Do you guys see how cute he is being” He turned the camera back to himself, leaning back on Max’s shoulder again. Suddenly comments started pouring into the live feed. Most of them were just people freaking out but there were some questions mixed in there too. “Is this real?” Gio said as he read one of the questions. “Babe is this real?” He asked looking up at Max who laughed briefly before leaning in and giving him a brief but gentle kiss, a hand on the side of his face delicately holding them together. Gio turned back to the camera as Max wrapped an arm around him so they could both read the messages.   
“Wait aren’t you in Mexico City I thought Cracker had a gig in the states? He flew in last night to surprise me because he had a night off and he’s adorable like that”  
“Oh baby what about this one” Max said, pointing at the screen “How long have we been together?”  
“Do we wanna them about everything or just New York?” Gio whispered in Max’s ear.  
“We may as well tell them everything” Max said, rubbing Gio’s shoulder.  
“Ok so we hooked up during filming, yes ok calm down it happens” He said as the comments and hearts erupted on his screen “and then we had some time apart when we got back from filming for personal reasons. But then we properly got back together in October and we’ve been together ever since”  
“Yep 8 months and 2 weeks” Max said with a grin.  
“See, a cutie” Gio said to the phone. They kept answering questions, trying to keep things in their personal life private still. “Oh shit we’re at the airport ok um quick facts, we live together, Max moved to Brooklyn only 2 days after we started dating, all the season 10 girls knew, you can all stop saying he’s mad that I won because clearly he’s not mad, am I forgetting anything?”  
“I love you” Max said, kissing Gio as he got out of the car  
“I love you too” He turned his attention back to the video as he stood outside the airport while Jordan and Max unpacked the suitcases from the trunk. “Max can you come here for 2 seconds?” Max left the suitcases with Jordan and went over to where Gio was standing, there was a serious tone to his voice. “I just want to say to everyone out there that we didn’t mean to lie or not tell anyone about us being together, that was out of our control”  
“Yeah and clearly we love each other and I’m so proud to have him in my life and say he’s mine, I wanted nothing more than to be able to shout it from the rooftops” Max interjected.  
“Same, but now that we are public I hope everyone can respect our relationship and us as people and give us space, and respect our privacy when we don’t want to share everything”  
“Well said baby” Max said looking up at him.  
Gio beamed a perfect smile “Ok we got to go, don’t want to miss our flights. BIEEEEEE” He ended the live stream. They both felt the weight lifting off their shoulders. Having it out there in the world removed the restraints they had felt for the majority of their relationship. Even just walking into the airport hand in hand felt so much more special than they could have imagined.   
With their boarding passes in hand they walked towards Max’s gate as his flight started boarding 20 minutes before Gio’s did. Reaching the gate, Jordan tapped Gio on the shoulder, telling him to meet him at their gate so that they had some time alone. Hearing them call for Max’s flight to start boarding, Gio wrapped his arms around him tightly.   
“Why is saying goodbye for 2 days harder than it was to say goodbye for weeks” Max said into his shoulder as he squeezed him back.  
“I know how you feel” Gio straightened up, putting his hand on Max’s shoulder, smiling at the ring that shone back at him “But we’re going to see each other so soon, then we have the pines”  
Max offered him a sad smile. “It sucks that we only get to see each other a few days every month” They were both thinking it. They just usually didn’t say it out loud.  
Gio couldn’t let Max leave this upset. “It’s not ideal but it’s our life” He put a finger under Max’s chin, lifting his gaze “we’ll make it work. We always do. Plus, it only makes me miss you and love you all the more” Max leant his head against the taller queen’s chest. Only relaxing as Gio held him close, kissing the top of his head. “Who knows, maybe I’ll be the one flying in to surprise you next time”  
Max looked up at him with a smile as he thought about all the little ways they could surprise one another and how they could make the best out of their situation. “You’re going to surprise me?” Seeing Max’s smirk return made Gio so happy, knowing he was himself again.  
Gio rocked them back and forth, eliciting a giggle from the older queen.  
“It might not be as life changing as your surprise” He held Max’s hand. “But being together for even a night is still the most special gift I could imagine”  
Another call went out for Max’s flight, breaking the sweet moment they had created.  
“I have to go” Max said, bringing them back into a hug “I’ll see you on Tuesday” He whispered into his ear. Gio smiled as he lowered his head to kiss him, finally not having to care about who might see them.  
“I love you” His hand was still on Max’s face, caressing his jaw.  
“and I love you” He reached up on his toes quickly for another sneaky peck before he went to board the flight, turning and smiling back at Gio who blew him a kiss. The younger queen remained unmoving until Max disappeared down the tunnel, out of sight. This was their lives now. They didn’t have to always say goodbye behind closed doors. They didn’t have to hide. Yet nothing would not make Gio miss him even if it was for just a few days.  
“You know we do actually have a flight to catch” Jordan said stepping up behind him.  
“How long have you been standing there?” Gio said, jumping a little as Jordan pulled him out of his thoughts.  
Jordan shuffled on his feet, slightly embarrassed about the truth “I didn’t really leave per say, just stood away from you two so you could have that cute moment”  
Gio smiled, he was the only one who ever got to see the more sensitive side of Jordan. “There’s a video of me and max on your insta right now isn’t there?”   
Jordan patted his back “You know me too well”

Jordan’s video of them kissing at the gate was all the evidence sceptics needed to stop saying their relationship wasn’t real. Even though they had gotten used to all the online hate that people would dish out during the season, neither of them was fully prepared for some of the hate that was directed their way now that their relationship was out in the open. But nothing was going to ruin their moods, not the day after they became engaged. Max tried his best to not read all the comments on social media as he flew back to Katelyn. They both had too many messages from friends and family to attend to. Unsurprisingly a lot of people were shocked and honestly a little mad or confused as to why they hadn’t told them. They had really only told their families and the season 10 girls and Bob. Most of Gio’s friends didn’t even know. He had been so worried that they would accidently let it slip that he only told Jordan and a small handful of other people. But what they did love was the outpouring of support that they got from their friends and the other queens. They expected so many of them to be wary about their decision but they were nothing but supporting and wanted to help them out as best they could. A few of the queens that they shared management teams with even offered to swap gigs with them so they would have more time together in the future. But no matter how bad Max felt about not telling some of the friends he had always been so honest with in the past about him and Gio dating, he felt the worst about Katelyn not knowing what happened the night before. So bad that he all but ran from the lobby to the room they were sharing.  
Even though he had a key card, he knocked on the hotel room door. “Ok Katelyn, time to be reunited!” He called as he waited for her to answer the door.  
A few seconds later the door opened with Katelyn’s smiling face. “Cracker!” She said as she hugged him tightly. Max took his backpack off, closing the door and dropping his bag next to his suitcases, which Katelyn had carted to this new hotel when she flew in while Max was in Mexico earlier that morning. “soooooooo” she said, sitting on one of the beds “How does it feel now that everyone knows?” From the way Max couldn’t stop smiling, she already knew how he was feeling. She loved seeing him this happy. She had been with him for so many lows that seeing him like this was all she could have ever hoped for him.  
He flopped down on the bed next to her. “It’s so weird but so wonderful” He propped himself up on his elbow, Katelyn lying down and doing the same, just the way they would on nights off when they lived together. “did you see Jordan’s story?” He asked.  
“I did” she nodded “it was very cute” She paused for a minute “You get this look in your eye when you look at Gio that makes my heart all fluttery to see you like that”  
Max felt his smile grow wider, if that was even possible, as tears began to well in his eyes. He couldn’t believe the little things she noticed. How much she cared. He was never unappreciative of everything Katelyn did for him but he always felt like he could tell her how much she meant to him more often. He wouldn’t be the person he was today without her. He wouldn’t be the same Miz Cracker. He may have never met Gio.  
“Hey are you ok?” She said, worried as she noticed the tears in his eyes.  
“I’m so good Katelyn. I’m the best I’ve ever been” A tear escaped, Max quickly wiping it away as he laughed at how ridiculous his reaction was. No matter how quick he was, more tears began to cascade down his cheeks.  
“Happy tears?” She asked.  
He sat up, Katelyn doing the same to let him hug her. Max took in a deep breath as Katelyn patted his back gently. “I asked Gio to marry me last night” He whispered in her ear.   
“No you didn’t!” Katelyn gasped, shooting back upright and covering her shocked expression with her hands.  
“I did” He said, his cheeks beginning to hurt from all the smiling but he couldn’t stop “And he said yes”   
Katelyn threw herself over at him, hugging him tightly “Of course he did! How could he not! Oh my god” She leant back, not letting go of her best friend as they both smiled at each other’s tear streaked faces. “You are Gio are getting married!” She looked at him still in a state of disbelief.  
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that’s why I wanted to go see him. It just felt like the right time to do it”  
“oh I don’t even care, I’m just so happy for you two” He rewrapped his arms around her, comfortably rocking them back and forth.   
“So, Katelyn” He took her hands, sitting upright “will you be my maid of honor?”  
“AWWWWWWWWW!!!, Of course I will” She said with a smile. “Should we get a celebration lunch”  
“TIME FOR LUNCH!!!!!” He said, making them both laugh. This was why Katelyn was his best friend. They could laugh at the same old jokes for years on end, and she always made him feel comfortable in his own skin. Katelyn knew this was the effect she had on Max. She knew he needed her. She knew she helped him be his best. But she was happy to be sharing that responsibility with Gio now. She made a mental note to add that to her eventual Maid of Honor speech. It may have been a bit too early to be planning her speech, but she was so excited. And she couldn’t wait to be able to celebrate this new step in their lives with the two of them in the same room.

Luckily for Katelyn she didn’t have to wait long this time around, with Gio getting on the earliest flight to Columbus that would still get him 4 hours of sleep after his gig the night before. Katelyn saw him walk into the hotel cafe with Jordan close behind him, her suddenly brightening face making Max turn around in his chair to see what had created such a reaction. What he saw brought out his smile too. His reason for smiling had just entered the room. Max got up from his chair just in time as Gio reached him, the younger queen having picked up his pace after Max had seen him. Jordan went around the table to give Katelyn a long hug as the two queens met each other’s embrace. Jordan too, was thankful to have Katelyn around so often. She was like a big sister to him in a way. They may not have been that close but he always knew he could count on her if he needed it.  
“Heey Baby” Max said as he kissed Gio, wrapping his arms around his waist naturally.   
“I missed you” Gio said as he rested a hand on the side of Max’s face.  
“I MISSED YOU TOO” Katelyn said, making them both laugh as she Gio detached himself from Max and went to give Katelyn the big hug she deserved and that he knew she wanted. As Gio showed off his engagement ring to Katelyn, who squealed at the first sight of the sparkling band, Max offered Jordan a quick hug.  
“God you look tired” Max said, it may not have been the polite thing to say but it was the truth.  
“Ugh I know” He said pushing his sunglasses back down off the top of his head. “At least I look better than him right now. Bitch didn’t sleep at all on the plane cos he was too busy clapping back at people online”   
“Of course he was” Max looked over at Gio, who was in the midst of recounting how Max proposed.  
“Babe?” Gio said as he looked over to see Max already looking at him. “Help me carry my bags up to the room?” Max nodded, happy to help, and happy to spend some time with Gio. While Katelyn and Jordan headed out to find some lunch, Max and Gio took everything up to Gio’s room. Leaving Gio to get his things sorted for the show that night, Max went down the hall to move his things out of the room he was meant to be sharing with Katelyn that night. Initially they didn’t have this gig together lined up, but when Kameron offered the gig up to Gio a week before the finale aired, they had to jump at the opportunity for an extra day together. Given the fact that they weren’t publically a couple at that point they had booked 3 hotel rooms like usual, 1 room each for Jordan and Gio and 1 room with 2 beds for Cracker and Katelyn. It was times like this that Max was thankful for Jordan’s promiscuous antics requiring their own space. When Max got his bags back to Gio’s room, he stopped at the door and smiled at the sight in front of him, making sure to close the door as quietly as possible. Gio was laying on the bed lightly snoring, his phone still in his hand. Max gently took off Gio’s shoes, not gently enough as the younger queen stirred awake.  
“Are you taking off my shoes?” He mumbled.  
“Mmmm Hmmm. You look like you need some sleep” He threw Gio’s shoes aside and lay down next to him, Gio turning in is arms as their body’s rested against each other.   
“But we were going to go out for a nice lunch and go for a walk and do normal couple things” Max smiled softly at Gio who could barely keep his eyes open. They had been talking for the past 2 days about all the things they could now do that they hadn’t been able to when their relationship was a secret.  
“How about we both get a couple hours sleep and then order room service before we have to start getting ready” He said as Gio nestled his head into Max’s hand, the way he was brushing his thumb over his cheek only sending him to sleep faster.  
“Sound’s good” He barely got the word out as he fell asleep in Max’s arms.

Max wasn’t expecting to fall asleep but nothing calmed him like the sound of Gio’s sleeping breath and the rhythmic pace of his chest moving and heart beating against his. Luckily they were woken up by Katelyn calling them to see if they wanted her and Jordan to bring them something back to eat before the show. They declined, ordering room service and changing into the comfy bathrobes Gio had brought them.  
“I feel like Jordan” Max said as he stepped out of the bathroom. Room Service had just dropped off their food and Gio was already digging into his pasta.  
“But you look so cute” He walked over and lifted the baby blue hood up onto Max’s head, making him even more adorable. He leant in for a soft kiss. “Admit it, it’s comfy as hell”  
Max smirked as looked up at him. “It’s comfy but I also have the Versace logo across my back. It feels like a lot”  
“Would you rather have my robe” He said as he posed in his ornate black and yellow robe, making Max laugh as he sat back on the bed and picked up a fry.  
“Like the mullet, I don’t understand how you pull that off so well”   
“I’ll pull yours off well later” He said with an eyebrow wiggle as Max finally sat down to eat.   
“oh so she’s back now is she?” He chuckled as he cut into his steak.  
“She’s back and well rested for the entire night” Gio brushed Max’s calf under the table, an action Max had missed. It was one of the reason’s they were both looking forward to their weekend away on Fire Island. Sure, their friends were coming and Gio was going to have a gig one night while Max was there, but they could have time together like they used to before the show started to air. “I’m sorry I was so exhausted before” Gio said as he put his bowl down, standing up and sitting on Max’s lap. “I probably should have slept on the plane” He said bashfully.  
“Yeah Jordan mentioned that you were clapping back at people. What were they saying that pissed you off”  
Although a lot of their careers were spent online, Max wasn’t as occupied by social media in the same way that Gio was. Gio took a deep breath. “There were people talking shit about our relationship and people still saying that it’s fake and that there’s no proof. And then this one little fucker said that our age difference was “Gross” and that you must be “using me” for some reason, and I got mad. They can’t say that shit Max”  
Max was a little bit shocked at what he was hearing. “well I see why you were mad”  
“I just, I couldn’t sit by and see that and not try and put a stop to it” He rubbed Max’s shoulder. He hadn’t mentioned it earlier that day, or over the phone in the past 2 days because he knew how much this sort of hate would mess with his head.  
“So what did you say about the whole “no proof” thing” Neither of them had posted any videos or photos since they announced they were dating and it was making a lot of people skeptical. Despite them literally going live together, showing people into the relationship, them saying I love you in front of the whole internet, a lot of people clearly still wanted this to all be some big joke. Mostly Gio’s fans.  
“I mean it’s not like we don’t have photos and stuff, but I just didn’t want to give them everything like that” There was a brief pause at they looked at one another. “So what do we do tonight. People are going to expect us to be all over each other”  
Max smiled at the fact that they could be all over each other now if they really wanted to. But then again, they wanted some privacy. Just because they had given them nothing before, didn’t mean the internet was entitled to everything.  
“Well, I think we hold hands, and laugh and hug and stare at each other for as long as we want without being scared someone will see” He held him close, Gio smiling down at him as Max traced shapes on his back. “and I kiss you backstage, not caring who’s watching. And I’ll get to welcome my boyfriend back to the stage” they had already talked about not using the word fiancé until they got the engagement photos they were going to take while they were away that weekend.  
“So no onstage or meet and greet kiss?” Gio asked as she continued to rub Max’s shoulder.  
“Maybe a kiss on the cheek at the end of the night” Gio pouted, he wanted nothing more than to kiss Max in front of everyone, and stop all the bullshit he was seeing people put out online.  
“If they want proof they can wait. Let’s show them that we’re in charge, that they don’t get to see everything just because they yell and send hate our way” Max hadn’t realized how passionately he had been talking, his eyes never leaving Gio’s while he spoke.  
“Fuck, I love you” Gio said as he held Max’s face and leant down to kiss him hungrily. There was something about the way Max spoke about them and their relationship that was so irresistible. Just as Max’s hand began to crawl up Gio’s thigh, the alarm on his phone went off, signaling to them that it was time to start getting ready if they wanted to get to this gig on time.

They rushed down to the lobby after Katelyn’s 5th phone call telling them to get down to the car. They had both put on the outfits they had worn for the Glitterific Runway, Gio thinking it would be cute for them to wear a matching look for their first gig as a couple.  
“Awwww that’s so cute” Katelyn said as she saw them walking hand in hand out of the elevator, each dragging a suitcase behind them with their makeup and looks for tonight’s show.  
“Yeah yeah they’re adorable, let’s just get all this stuff in the car. I’m weak, I can’t lift this bag of merch into the trunk” Jordan said as they all looked between them, eventually all eyes landing on Max.  
He sighed as he realized he would be doing the heavy lifting “Well she is a strong woman” He conceded defeat, swapping suitcases with Jordan and lifting each suitcase into the trunk of the SUV while the other 3 got into the car. Once in the car with Gio in the middle seat, holding Max’s hand on his thigh, Max noticed what Gio was preoccupied with his phone.  
“Wow you really like that block button don’t you” Gio turned off his phone as Max caught him going through the mentions of him and Max on Twitter.  
“Yep, it’s a gift” He said proudly, unashamed of his method of defending their relationship. Max shook his head lightly as he leant in to kiss Gio, neither of them caring about Katelyn, Jordan, or even the uber driver seeing them.  
Jordan scoffing lightly brought them out of their moment. “Did you queens actually match your lipstick colours so you could suck face all night?” They smiled at him, their matching lipstick looking as immaculate as ever. “Unbelievable”

They made it to the gig with no time to spare, barley having any time to set up before the meet and greet started.  
“Ready?” Gio asked as he took Max’s hands in front of the AXIS backdrop. Max nodded, as the club staff let in the meet and greet line. For the most part the meet and greet was oddly wonderful. They both loved meeting their fans and the vocal support some of them gave of their relationship was oddly reassuring. Max however did feel tinges of jealousy as some fans came through. There weren’t many, but there were a few young men who would basically disregard Max being there and then be very touchy with Gio, rubbing his arms or putting their arms a little too low for Max’s liking when giving Gio a hug. He tried to ignore it as best he could but it didn’t go unnoticed. After one particularly touchy fan went through Gio took a brief second to offer Max a quick kiss on the cheek, making the older queen blush. Gio was used to having guys try and “impress him” but he, and Max, thought that that would die down once their relationship went public. Once the final fan left the room, Gio took Max’s hand.   
“We did it” Gio smiled.  
“We did it” Max affirmed. He didn’t want Gio to be worrying about him. And if he was being honest, he hated looking like the jealous and possessive boyfriend of a younger, more attractive man. They got changed for their first performances. Max pulled up his black leggings and looked over as Jordan helped piece together the Bcalla outfit Gio wore for the “If” lipsync against Eureka in the finale.   
“That look still confuses me” Max said as Katelyn helped him buckle his heels, the tight corset stopping him from properly being able to bend over.  
“Still less confusing than that silver thing you walked out in” Jordan laughed as he did the final zip on Gio’s outfit.  
“Ok damn roast me why don’t you” Gio joked, taking a sip of his RedBull and Vodka. The promoter popped his head in, telling Max that Cracker was up. He looked himself over in the mirror one more time before Gio stopped him at the door for a quick good luck kiss before Jordan put all the shoulder spikes on. 

Naturally Miz Cracker’s performance went down just as perfectly as Max could have wanted, if not better. Something about the high he was on from their engagement and Gio being there that night, that gave him an extra spring in his step. He made his way around the crowd, picking up as many tips as he could get his hands on while Jordan picked up all the cash that was on the floor.  
“Ok everyone the amazing, the beautiful Aquafina” He announced as he walked off the stage, briefly passing Gio and kissing the back of his hand.  
“Crush it babe” He said, patting him on the ass gently as Gio walked up to the curtain.  
“You know I always do” Winking before the music started and he went to the stage. This was one of the rare opportunities they had to watch each other perform. The last time that Max had been able to see Gio perform it was at the finale taping, Gio hadn’t been able to make it to one of Max’s gigs for months. There was such a sense of pride that they both felt that night being able to watch each other completely own the stage.  
“Maaaaax” Jordan cooed, walking over to Max and Katelyn, holding an open bottle of champagne and a red cup. “Time to celebrate our girls getting engaged” He whispered so none of the other people backstage could hear. Max didn’t usually drink at the gigs, trying to keep sober most of the time these days, but it was a time for celebration. He took the cup, cheersing Jordan and Katelyn as he watched Gio through the curtain. The track ended and the loud applause was signal for Jordan to run out with the box for all of the tips being showered upon Gio. Max watched as he thanked the roaring crowd.   
“oooh daddy a 20” Gio laughed “I’m just kidding there’s only 1 man I call daddy now” Eliciting sheiks and cheers from the audience. Max couldn’t help but blush as Katelyn nudged him. “aww thank you thank you, how many times can I say that, clearly not enough, than-” Suddenly Gio was cut off and a couple of shocked gasps saw Max walk over to the side of the stage. Someone on the audience had thrown something that had landed on one of the spikes of Aquaria’s costume. Gio lifted the object up, seeing that it was underwear. Jordan came over to take it from him, Gio playfully pushing it in his face, Jordan taking a whiff before taking the underwear from Gio. “What was that Stawecki? Smells like tomorrow morning?” He joked, trying to play off how uncomfortable he felt. While Gio and the host for the night joked about how surprisingly small Aquaria is in person, another pair of underwear was thrown at him, this time landing on the microphone. “oh um, okay”  
“Girl did another one throw his underwear at you” the emcee for the night said and Gio stood there a little shocked. “Which one was it” The other queen said, walking over to Gio and looking up at the balcony where it came from, where a group of young guys were losing their minds and pointing to two or three of them in particular.   
“Yeah which one of you was it?” Max said, walking slowly onto the stage after Jordan handed him a spare mic he found side of stage. He could see the anger rising in Max, and the shit stirrer in him mixed with the amount of champagne he had drunk, couldn’t help himself. The audience dissolved into applause and anticipation for what would happen next. Max made his way dramatically over to the side of the stage where the others were, staring down the group of men who were now surprisingly reserved. “Oh so now we’re quiet huh?”  
“Hey babe” Gio said, sauntering over to Max  
“Hi baby” He replied, smirking as he wrapped his free arm around Gio’s waist, the younger queen leaning in and kicking a leg up all cockily. Their exchange causing even more screams from around them. “So no one wants to own up any more, fine” Max started “All 3 of you can answer me this. How would you feel if someone threw their nasty underwear at your fiancé?” There was a collective silent shock throughout the club, both the queen’s heads snapping to look at each other. Max had let it slip, it was out there, no taking it back. Max couldn’t believe what he had just said, but it felt good. Gio couldn’t help but smile as he took off his glove to uncover his engagement ring, proudly holding his hand up so the diamonds caught the light. The crowd erupted into applause as they kissed passionately on the stage, the two of them so lost in the moment that they could barely hear the thundering noise.  
“Oh my god what is happening” The emcee said amongst the cheering. The two queens parted, looking at one another adoringly.  
“Ok I need to go get changed for my next number, but remember, I got my eye on you” Max said, pointing back up to the balcony. If looks could kill, Gio thought, that would be the look. Gio lent in for another peck, his body still pressed against Max’s, the two of them whispering “I love you” against their lips. Max left the stage to a loud applause.  
“ooooh I would not want to be you buddy” Gio said up to the balcony. “Thank you so much Columbus, I’ll be back out in a little while, I just have to go blow my fiancé” He joked while the audience screamed “I’m kidding I’m kidding, we’re both tucked. That’s what our hotel room’s for” He said in a lower voice, making everyone go crazy again before he left the stage. Gio all but ran back to the dressing rooms where Max was changing into his blue bodysuit, the top of the garment at his waist. He stopping pulling it up when Gio entered the room.   
“I’m so sorry I told everyone it’s jus-” The rambling apology cut off as Gio pulled him in, kissing him frantically as he held Max by the waist. “wait wait” Max cut them off all too quickly. “You’re not mad?” He had his hands on Gio’s chest, looking up at him, the fact that he was barefoot and Gio was in heels only adding to the already evident height difference.  
“You’re the one who wanted it to be all planned out babe, I was ready to tell everyone the moment you put the ring on me” He smiled, swaying them slightly. “plus” he leaned in “I was so turned on by you out there”  
“Oh were you now” Max smirked as he brought their lips back together “mmm did they have to do that when you were wearing such an awkward costume” He hit one of the spikes that was getting in the way of them being closer. Making Gio laugh.  
There was a knock at the door. “5 minutes Max” Katelyn said from the doorway, trying to give them some privacy, but also not wanting them to miss the next number.  
“Thanks Katelyn” They both called out behind her.  
“Zip me up?” Max asked as he held Gio’s hands.  
Gio let out a sigh “If I must put more clothes on you, I will” Max pulled up the rest of the bodysuit as Gio began to take apart the pieces of his more complicated outfit. Once free he rushed over to zip Max up, the older queen turning for a quick kiss before rushing to the stage, leaving Gio in the dressing room with a soft smile on his face. Why couldn’t he feel like this all the time, he thought.  
“Hey honey” Katelyn said, putting her head into the room and bringing him out of his thoughts. “Jordan sent me to see if you need help getting ready”  
“I’m good, but thank you. How long do I have left”  
“15”  
“Ok great, thanks Katelyn” 

By the time Gio was done and the two of them had done their goodbyes on stage, Jordan had completely forgone the cups and was just drinking champagne out of the bottle.  
“Ok I need to get out of this get up” Gio said as he walked back to the dressing room. Max on the other hand went and joined Jordan in celebration. He usually wore his drag back to the hotel. Cracker’s body takes up so much space that it’s just more effective to not have to take yet another bag just to get her home. 20 minutes and 2 drinks down, Max entered the dressing room to see if Gio was ready to leave. The juxtaposition from Aquaria’s glamour to the sight of Gio sitting in his tank top and sweatpants always made Max chuckle a little. He noticed how his brow was furrowed as he aggressively typed something out on his phone. It wasn’t until Max got closer that he even realized someone had entered the room.  
“What’s got my browless baby all stressed” He said, sitting on Gio’s lap.  
Gio sighed “some pop wannabe is trying to say some bullshit about Me, Asia, Eureka and Kam. Like can we not get one day off” He leant his head against Max’s chest, letting him rub his back. Max felt bad about everything Gio was having to deal with since he won. Max reached down and took Gio’s phone to read through the posts and Gio’s reply.  
“oooh wow that’s a lot” He said as he read through the tweets.  
“too much?” Gio looked up, clearly needing reassurance.  
“Do you think it’s too much?” Max asked, Gio shaking his head in reply “then it’s not too much” He held Gio’s face in his hands, stroking his cheek.  
“Ready to go ladies?” Jordan slurred as he waltzed into the room, bottle in hand. They both laughed at the sight but obliged, grabbing their things, thankful that they were finally going back to the hotel.

When Max got out of the shower he found Gio still glued to his phone, sitting upright in bed.  
“You still clapping back at this girl?” He asked as he joined him on the bed.  
“Not anymore” Gio turned off his phone, leaving it on the table next to them “I’m not going to let some attention seeker ruin our night”  
Max put his back against the headboard and patted the space between his legs, telling Gio to sit in front of him. Once Gio was comfortable Max started to massage his shoulders.  
“You’re really tense baby, is something making you anxious?” He said as he felt Gio’s muscles loosen under his touch.  
Gio leant his head back against Max’s chest, turning his head to look at him. “Will you marry me Max?” He asked.  
Max chuckled “Baby we’re engaged alr-”  
“I know” Gio cut him off “but I want to ask you if you’ll be mine forever” He sat up, taking the ring box from under the comforter where he had planted it, kneeling in front of him on the bed between his legs. “So, will you marry me?” He opened the box to reveal the thick platinum ring with diamonds set in the perimeter of the band.  
“Of course I will” He smiled as Gio put the ring on his finger, a perfect fit.  
“I love you” Gio said, crawling forward to kiss him.  
“I love you too” He replied, placing a hand on the side of his face as brought him in. Gio straddled his legs, deepening their kiss as Max’s hands traveled over his back and legs.  
“You know” Gio said as Max began to kiss his neck. “That nap we had earlier has made me really awake” He raised an eyebrow but jumped a little as Max grabbed his ass.  
“So we’re on the same page?” He smirked back.  
Gio smiled softly, “We always are”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the midst of all the craziness following the finale and their engagement Max and Gio get some time off away from the city

Gio woke up with a throbbing headache and more than slightly disorientated. He sat up looking around the bright living room, noticing the empty bottles, the half eaten food, and the other sleeping bodies on the surrounding couches. He got up slowly, the nauseous feeling in his stomach only increasing.  
“Hey hey hey!” an all too perky Shangela said from the kitchen as she saw Gio walk across the living room. “oooo girl come here you look like you need a couple of these” Gio obliged, nodding his head as Shangela passed him a few pills for his headache. “Bloody Mary?” She asked as she made herself and the other guys who were already up a round.  
“I want to say yes but I also never want to drink again” Gio groaned.  
“That bad huh?” Shangela smiled.  
“yep” He said, sitting at the bench and putting his head down. “What time is it?”  
“12:30” Shangela placed the drink down in front of Gio “Girl, we got like 4 more days of this, you can’t be tapping out this early”   
“He’s already tapped out” Jordan said, leaning against the wall at the entrance to the hallway. A young half naked guy following him out, Jordan kissing him on the cheek and tapping his ass as he showed him the door and basically kicked him out. “What was I saying? Oh yeah, Aqua’s leaving us”  
Shangela looked at her confused, stirring her drink with a straw. “Leaving?”  
Gio glared at Jordan, who glared back, clearly annoyed at god knows what before turning to Shangela. “Max gets in today” Explaining the situation as he picked up his drink and took a sip. “He’s only here for 2 nights and it’s the longest we’re going to be together for a month”  
Shangela looked sympathetic, understanding how hard their touring schedules could be on any kind of a relationship, but Jordan still looked unimpressed. Even though he would never say it to Gio, Jordan was mad that he was bailing early. Fire Island was meant to be the time for them and their friends to get together again and have a crazy week away. In Jordan’s mind, ever since Gio and Max got together, Gio had changed. He had mellowed out, he didn’t come out as often if Max was around and if he was being honest, Jordan felt like Gio was leaving him behind all too fast.  
“You can invite him over here if you want girl” Shangela offered “I don’t know half these people anyway” She gestured to the sleeping bodies in the room and chuckled.  
“Thanks Shangie, but I don’t really think this is Max’s idea of a fun weekend away” The offer was kind but Gio knew his fiancé, and this would just stress him out and make him all nervous trying to impress people.  
“So then what is your man’s idea of fun for this weekend?” Shangela sat down on the stool next to him, genuinely trying to get to know Gio better, and try and distract him from Jordan’s moping around.  
“It’s not that he doesn’t like parties and all that. It’s more that he prefers to spend time catching up with a small group of people rather than be in the middle of a packed dancefloor. Him and a couple friends are renting a house down the coast. We’ll probably go to the beach, watch movies, lounge around and drink wine and-“  
“Fuck?” Shangela cut him off, cockily taking a sip of her drink while Gio blushed.  
“I swear that’s all they do when they’re together. If he’s in town then they’re locked up in their hotel room” Jordan said from the couch, their friend Joe reaching over and hitting him before rolling over to sleep again.  
“Yes. That too. Hopefully a lot” He looked down and smiled while Shangela laughed.  
“Well I for one am happy for you girl, you deserve a quiet couple of days with your man” Shangela stood up, going towards the door that lead to the pool. “Stawecki baby we’ll take care of you while she’s gone” Jordan rolled his eyes. Gio looked over at him sympathetically, getting up from the stool and going to sit next to him on the couch.  
“I’m seeing you in like 2 days at the show, you’ll have fun without me” He nudged him with his foot, trying to get his best friend to smile.  
“Yeah but will you?” He finally turned to look at him.  
Gio was taken aback. “Yes…I will. Why are you being like this right now?”  
Jordan scoffed loudly, setting off the chorus of disgruntled groans from the hungover inhabitants of the living room. Jordan gestured to the room down the hallway that he had come out of minutes before, Gio following him even though he didn’t want to be having this conversation.  
Jordan closed the door “I don’t think you want to be sitting around, drinking wine, talking politics and doing puzzles with a bunch of Max’s friends all weekend” He sat on the bed with a cocky fake smile.  
Gio rolled his eyes, he thought they were past all this and he could feel his temper beginning to boil like it had when Jordan was so skeptical in the early stages of their relationship. Yes, Jordan was happy that Gio had found someone, and he did like Max as a person. But he felt like things were moving way too fast and wasn’t shy about telling Gio how he felt. “You know what, fine, you’re right. I don’t want to do all those things with Max’s friends. I want to do that with Max. My fiancé. The man I love. The man I barely get to see. What about that don’t you-”  
“This isn’t like you G!” He cut him off “You don’t go out if he’s around, you don’t drink half as much anymore, and now you’re getting fucking married!” Jordan was looking at him like he was crazy for doing all these things.  
“No I don’t go out when he’s around because sometimes he’s only around for like 3 days a month, 5 if we’re lucky. Every other day of my life I’m with you and we go out. And yes I’m drinking less but only you would see that as a bad thing. You seem to forget that I’m working every night, and maybe I don’t want to feel like crap all the time”  
“Don’t lie to me. You only pulled back when Max started going sober”   
“Yeah I did. I did it because A) solidarity with my partner and B) he has a point, I don’t need alcohol to be me on stage” He looked at Jordan with a confused expression. What of what he was saying wasn’t enough.  
“But it wasn’t like you ever had a problem. He made a change, so you made a change. He wants to get married so you’re getting married. What’s next? Kids? Would you have a kid just because he wants it!” As the words came out of his mouth Jordan knew he had taken this too far, that he had crossed a line.  
“You know what, we’ve never spoken about it. Maybe I would say yes. Maybe I wouldn’t. But that is for me and Max to decide together and it’s honestly none of your business” Gio’s faced had dropped but there was still a tinge of anger in his expression.   
“God what happened to the Aquaria I knew who never “dated”, the Aquaria who was “too focused on her career” for shit like this” Jordan stood up, getting louder and closer to Gio who was holding his ground with his arms securely folded over his chest “What happened to my best friend who always said he never wanted to get married!”  
“He met an amazing man who treats him so well, and he grew up” Gio said through gritted teeth, turning to leave before one of them did something stupid in their anger. “Oh and by the way, I proposed to Max the other night in Columbus. So if you have any feelings that this marriage is something only he wants, then you would be wrong” turning to Jordan as he reached the door.  
Jordan looked a little shocked “You proposed to him?” Gio nodded “Fuck, I’m so sorry G, I didn’t mean all of that to come out the way it did. I just” Jordan paused knowing that he would have to be open right now for the sake of their friendship “I just don’t want to see you stop being you for him” Gio walked over seeing that this was all more about Jordan feeling like he was losing a friend, than it was about Gio and Max spending the next few days together.  
“I’m still me Jordan” He said as he sat down next to him and gave him a hug, Jordan taking a moment before hugging back “Things are changing really fast but I’m still me. You’re still my best friend. You need to remember that” Jordan nodded on his shoulder, a loud sniffle making Gio know that he was trying, and failing, not to cry.  
“God I feel like an idiot” Jordan said sitting up. “I just, I just see you moving so fast and I don’t want to get left behind” He started crying “oh my god” he said, embarrassed, trying to wipe away the tears but failing as new ones cascaded down his cheeks. Gio had seen him cry drunk and cry out of happiness but he had never seen him cry like this.  
“Jordan I need you to see this as just another step” Jordan looked at him confused “If you think about it in steps, we’ve already taken a lot. You’ve been my best friend, then my roommate, then my assistant, now my best man” He emphasized, watching Jordan’s eyebrows shoot up.  
“You want me to be your best man?”   
Gio looked at him with disbelief “Who else did you think it would be? You fucking idiot” laughing at the idea that Jordan genuinely didn’t see this coming.  
Jordan fanned his face as he smiled, trying in vain to stop the tears. “Fuck now I’m crying again” Gio leant in for another hug. His phone went off in his pocket

Max: Should be there in an hour and a half  
Max: Come over at 3? I’ll get everyone settled  
Max: Can’t wait to see you 

He smiled at the message. Jordan watched his face as he typed out a quick reply. He didn’t know why he was so pessimistic before. Gio’s face, and that smile in particular, said it all. He didn’t just love Max; he was in love with him.   
“G?” He said, standing up as Gio went to the door.   
“Yeah” He said, putting his phone back in his pocket as he turned to Jordan.   
“I don’t want you to think I hate Max. I don’t. I just want to make sure you’re never going to end up hurt” Choosing his words carefully he looked up at his friend, Gio couldn’t help but notice how he took a deep breath and the implication that there was still hints of cautious doubt in his best friend.   
“Thank you. You’re a good friend Jordan, but I just need you to trust me on this” Jordan nodded. “Ok then. Let’s go get in on those Bloody Mary’s before I have to go”

The sound of Katelyn calling his name brought Max back into reality.  
“Look who I brought” She said with a smile as her and Gio walked across the soft sand to where the small group had set up on the beach in front of the house they were staying at. Max got up, brushing some of the sand off his legs as Gio reached them, the other 2 queens turning over to see what was going on. Before either of them said anything Gio wrapped his arms around Max’s waist, leaning him back ever so slightly and making the older man look up as he held the sides of his face in a gentle but surprisingly intimate kiss.  
“Aww Cracker” A tall man on an orange beach towel said, breaking them from their own little world Gio had spun them into. “Oh please, don’t stop on our account” Both him and the other queen smirking at Max in that way that old friends do.  
“Gio you’ve meet Kari” Max said as he rested his arm so casually around Gio’s waist, the position so comfortable that they both felt so at home just standing there.  
“Hey Aquaria” The tall queen replied with a smile, not getting up as it was clear neither Max or Gio wanted to let go of one another right now. Kari and Gio had met briefly at Cracker’s booth at DragCon LA but didn’t really get a lot of opportunities to speak much more than that given all the craziness.  
“And you’re Juicy I’m assuming” Gio said as smiled at the queen who had just stood up.  
“That’s me, nice to finally get to meet you” She leant in and hugged Gio gently, smiling when she saw how quickly the couple connected again “Cracker’s told us a lot about you”  
“A whole lot” Kari responded with a wink, making everyone laugh and Max blush ever so slightly when Gio looked over at him. Gio kissed him on the cheek, loving when the vulnerable side of him came out.  
“I hope it’s good things” He smirked  
“Well we never asked for a rating but, Max out of 10 what would you-“  
“ok ok you two, leave them alone” Katelyn cut Juicy off, trying to get them to stop teasing Max and Gio. The two queens put their hands up in defeat. Max and Katelyn shared an eye roll. The apple never falls far from the tree, and apparently the cracker doesn’t get too far from the box. Although they would roll their eyes at Juicy and Kari, they all knew they would give them more space than Gio’s friends would.  
“We only tease because you’re one of the family now” Juicy assured them while Gio and Max sat down, Gio in front of Max, leaning against his bare chest with Max’s arm wrapped around him.   
“So” Kari said, sitting up “How was 4th of July over here?”  
“Oh you would not believe” As Gio continued the story of the craziness of the previous day’s events, Max gave his friends a gentle smile before resting his head on Gio’s shoulder. The fact that they were being so welcoming really was a heartwarming gesture in his eyes. From there the conversation changed and progressed with ease, the group spending hours talking and laughing on the beach. This being the first time they had really had out in a very public setting where they could be a normal couple and just hold one another around their friends without a care.

Gio let out a squeal and giggle as Max lifted him onto his waist, the younger man’s legs wrapping around his waist and his arms around Max’s shoulders as he was held, weightless in the water. An hour ago Max had been shocked enough when Gio took off his shirt and moved out of the shade of their beach umbrella, the young queen constantly fearful of getting burnt. Max thought he’d never see the day a shirtless, hatless, sunglassesless Gio would go into the water with him.   
“There’s something beautifully picturesque about this moment” pausing with his hands on Gio’s hips just below the surface of the water. “but it might just be you” He said as he planted a plethora of delicate kisses on his lovers smiling lips, each kiss longer than the last. The distant sound of other beach goers on the shore and in the surrounding water fading away as the gentle movements of the ocean held them in their own little world. Time quickly becoming an irrelevant concept.  
“I love how you see the world” Gio said, playing with the short strands of wet hair at the base of Max’s neck as their lips parted. “it always seems so wonderful when you describe it”  
“I now have a reason to see it for how wonderful it can be” A soft smile on both their lips as they looked into each other’s eyes.  
“Hey CRACKER” Voices called out, breaking them out of their moment. The voices were Katelyn and Juicy, now on shore with towels wrapped around them while Kari started picking things up. “IT’S TIME FOR DINNER!!” They screamed, Gio and Max dissolving into laughter. Gio unwrapped his legs and stood up on the sand beneath the water, once again taller than Max.  
“Shall we” He said, offering his hand.  
“We shall” Max replied, taking his hand and walking back to their little group.

 

They dried of quickly in the July heat as they made their way back up to the house. Max and Gio taking it upon themselves to be in charge of making dinner for the group.  
“So what’s for dinner Aquaria?” Katelyn said, sitting on the couch in the living area.  
“Pasta” Gio said happily  
“I’m Italian” Gio and Max said in unison. Gio looked over at Max who was chuckling at himself for getting the end of the sentence right. The other’s softly giggled at the two of them from across the wide room.  
“Do I say that a lot?” Gio asked, surprised.  
“Yes” Max reached up on his toes for a quick peck “Yes you do. We also had that exact word for word conversation the first time you cooked for me. It’s kind of adorable” He winked as he went back to cooking the rest of the meal, leaving Gio blushing at the counter.  
The dinner went well in both their eyes. Conversation never died and never seemed forced. Max and Gio sat next to each other at the corner of the table, hands held and Gio’s foot brushing Max’s calf like it always did. Gio couldn’t help but smile lightly at how domestic this scene was. He got lost in his train of thought about their future apartment and the dinner parties they could throw for their friends and how Max would sit there telling stories while rubbing circles on the back of his hand as he was doing right now. These moments felt few and far between given their schedules but they were the moments that reminded them what they did all this for.  
“Thanks for dinner Aquaria” Juicy said, bringing him back to the moment once more.  
“Oh, my pleasure” He said so sweetly that Max’s heart almost burst.  
“Yeah you’re a surprisingly good cook” Kari said, wiping her mouth.  
“Max is the one that makes it so good. I barely knew how to cook before we got together” Max picked up his hand and kissed the back of it, both of them unaware of the smiles Max’s friends were sharing because of the gesture and the adoring look in Gio’s eyes.  
“Damn Katelyn you were so right about them being a cute couple” Juicy said looking them over and winking. Juicy and Kari started picking up the empty plates.  
“Oh you don’t have to do that. I can take care of the dishes” Gio offered. It seemed like a nice thing to do to solidify his place in Max’s friend’s good books.  
“No it’s fine lovely. We should let you two…get settled” Juicy said turning and walking to the kitchen, hands full of dishes, with a knowing grin.  
“We may have to do the dishes but at least we don’t have to share a room anymore” Kari said to Juicy in a quiet but still audible voice, following her to the kitchen.  
“Their own rooms?” Gio said looking at Max “I thought this place only had 3 bedrooms?” Katelyn smiled at the ground. “Katelyn you’re not sleeping in the living room are you?” Max and Katelyn laughed as Gio turned to his friend who was definitely the kind of person to do that for the two of them.  
“There’s 3 bedrooms inside the house” Max said, his hand on the side of Gio’s face, turning his gaze back to him and reaching in to kiss him softly even though Gio was clearly confused. A smile creeped up on the younger man’s face as Max’s lips left his.  
“Oh god what have you done this time?” Max didn’t reply, simply getting up to get Gio’s bag from the front door with one hand before returning and taking Gio’s hand with the other. Max had that glimmer in his eye that he got every time he had a surprise waiting for him. They walked out onto the large deck. Across to their left was a small wooden structure. Gio followed Max into what was a small detached studio. It was light and open and there was a large window with a cushioned seat that looked out over towards the water. Gio was instantly drawn to the view, his hand on the window frame as he looked out at the sea in the distance. He sat down on the window seat, one leg pulled up on the bench and one foot still on the floor, looking around at the yellow walls and the white painted wooden details. This studio was surprisingly modern compared to the main house, but still had that old school beach house feel.  
“Cute isn’t it?” Max said as he walked over, Gio taking his hand as he looked up at him.  
“Yes you are” Gio said as Max gazed down, his heart racing as he willingly gave in to the spell like effect Gio still had, and will always have, on him. Max stepped forward, putting a knee up on the seat as he took Gio’s face in his hands, leaning in and kissing him so tenderly that the younger man instantly felt weightless as he melted under Max’s touch. Gio pulled him in closer, Max smiling down and chuckling lightly as he almost lost his precarious footing in Gio’s jolting need to have his body closer to his. Max wished he could capture this moment of Gio’s smiling face in the perfect golden light of the sunset that was pouring in through the window and doing even more to highlight the younger queen’s defined features. He leant in, kissing Gio on the sensitive skin behind his ear. Slowly working down his neck, feeling Gio’s breath becoming deeper under his hand that rested on his chest.  
“You taste like the ocean” Max said as he sat up more, both of them chuckling, licking the sea salt taste from his lips.   
“Maybe we both need a shower” Gio said as he ran his hands over Max’s back and down to his hips. As Max leant in to kiss him, his phone began to ring on the bench next to them, Jordan’s face popping up for a Facetime call. They both looked at the phone, choosing to ignore it.   
“Ugh really?” Max said, parting his lips from Gio’s and standing up when the phone rang for the second time immediately after the first call finished. Gio answered and then immediately hung up the call, slightly annoyed given his conversation with Jordan this morning. Before he could even bring their lips back together, his phone started ringing again, this time his friend Linux. Max lent back, both of them sighing in defeat.   
“Maybe I should-“  
“Yeah, go for it” Max said as he got up, going over to their bags and starting to unpack a few things as Gio answered his call.  
“Yes, what do you want” Gio said even though it clearly wasn’t a question, more of an annoyed accusation.  
“AQUA” More than 1 voice yelled out, Max turning his head confused at the raucous sounds coming from the phone. Gio was looking as his friends all out by the pool, the party still going on at Shangela’s. “Come on girl!!! Ditch your ball and chain and come out with us! I just got here for fuck sake” Linux said over the phone, unaware that Max could hear everything she was saying.  
“See G it’s not just me!” A clearly drunk Jordan chimed in “We all want you here” followed by a few more voices adding their approval. Gio looked over at Max, his heart breaking a little as Max put down their things, he could almost see the insecure thoughts he had had about Gio’s friend’s opinions of him cross though his mind once more.  
“Guys” He said as his friends kept talking “Guys” But they kept going “oh my god will you stop talking for 2 seconds!” He snapped finally getting them to stop talking. “Hand Stawecki the phone” He got looking apologetically at Max as he stepped out of the little studio and back onto the deck. “Jordan what the fuck” Was all he could say as Jordan took the phone.  
“It wasn’t me!” He said drunkenly smiling.  
“Jordan we talked about this this morning”  
“Just bring Max with you. It’ll be fun!” One of their other friends popped up next to Jordan.  
“It wouldn’t be fun for us” Gio picked his words carefully.  
“Him”  
“US”  
“Stawecki what are you doin’?” Shangela’s voice appeared from somewhere around Jordan before she took the phone from him “Are y’all serious?” She said when she saw Gio’s face on the screen. “Can you let them be together for 2 days without bothering them with all this childishness” As Shangela lectured his friends, Gio felt warm knowing that Shangela had both his and Max’s backs. “Aqua baby whose phone is this?”   
“Linux’s”  
“Do you want me to give it back to her or do you want me to hang up?”  
“Nah I’ll say goodbye to her, I haven’t seen her in a little while” As she handed the phone over to Linux Gio could still here her going off at Jordan and a few of his other friends. Good, Gio thought.  
“Hey Aqua” Linux said, the most sober of all of them “I’m sorry girl, I didn’t know this was such a big thing. Jordan told me to call you because you weren’t answering him and-“  
“Oh honey no it’s fine really” Happy to see his friend become instantly more calm from her initial panic. “You still here on Saturday?”  
“Of course I’m coming to your show, you don’t even have to ask” She replied, knowing where that was going.  
“Ok perfect, I’ll see you then okay lovely?”  
“Love you Aqua” She said, blowing a kiss and holding out the phone so that other people could say goodbye, even Jordan who was so drunk he wouldn’t remember this conversation happened in a few hours’ time. Gio hung up the phone and went back inside, hoping that would be the last of the disruptions from his friends for the next few days. As he closed the door behind him he expected to see Max sitting on the bed or on the windowsill, but he wasn’t. The things in their bags that he had been unpacking, still on bed where he had put them down when he overheard Gio’s friends talking earlier. Gio knocked on the bathroom door, it was literally the only other place he could be.  
“Max?” He said as he knocked.  
“Hmm” Max’s voice weakly came from behind the door.  
“Can I come in?” He asked tentatively.  
“Yeah” Hearing the sound of water moving, Gio opened the door. Max sat up in the bubble covered water of the bathtub, scarily emotionless. Gio had expected him to look upset when he saw him, but emotionless never crossed his mind. Gio sat down on the edge of the bath, and took Max’s hand, warm and damp from the bath water.   
A million options ran through Gio’s head for what he could say at this moment. He could be flirty and pretend there was never an interruption. He could blame his friends, try and blame this uncomfortable feeling on them. But only one option felt right “Are you okay?” He said so softly that Max almost didn’t hear him.  
“I’m fine baby” He said, animating once again as he saw the concerned look on Giovanni’s face. “It’s just-I don’t know” He paused even though Gio could tell he had more to say. He moved closer to Max, lifting his hand to kiss the back of it.  
“You know you can tell me anything that’s on your mind right” He caressed the side of Max’s face, the older man resting his head into his hand as Gio had done so many times before, feeling his walls coming down in an instant.  
“I don’t want you to think I’m making you stay here tonight. If you want to stay, then of course I’m going to be happy. But if you want go out with your friends, who you also don’t get to see very often then I’m happy for you to do that too” Gio just looked at him confused. “I just don’t want you to stop living your 22-year-old life because of me. You should be going out and having fun and all of this can’t be that fun for you now that I look at from the perspective of your friends and-”  
“Max” He cut him off, unable to bare seeing him do this to himself “Why are people thinking I’m not going to have fun here. Literally I had this same conversation with Jordan this morning” Max was not even surprised that Jordan had brought this up.  
“I don’t want to hold you away from your friends”   
“So you’d rather hold me away from you?” Max’s eyes changed as Gio said this. He didn’t want that. He wanted to hold him close and never let go. “Yes, I love my friends but I love you more. I already had an amazing day today. I feel like part of the family. Who ever said this weekend had to be non-stop crazy parties? Who said I can’t want this? Because I have never said I didn’t want this, because it means you’re here and I want to be wherever you are,” He leaned in and kissed him, not caring about how the water on Max’s body wet his tank top. Max hands reached under Gio’s shirt pulling him even closer as his neck craned up. Gio discarded his shirt, neither of them wanting it to be there any longer anyway. As he kissed Max, he lifting himself just high enough off the side of the bath to slide off his shorts, leaving him naked on the cold edge of the tub. With Gio’s hand running through his hair Max leaned down to trail gentle kisses up Gio’s thigh, past his hip and up to his waist. Gio smiled as Max’s lips traced his figure, his eyelashes tickling his skin. Max looked up seeing Gio smiling back at him.  
“Wanna get in?” He said, his hand crawling high up Gio’s leg. Gio looked at the bathtub and how it fit into the corner of the wall. He smirked.  
“Scootch over” He said, turning and stepping into the hot water. As Max made room for him, he looked at Giovanni, confused as the younger man placed his hand on the opposite wall and sat on the small ledge. “Come here” With Gio sitting in front of him with his legs open Max instantly caught on. He moved over to the far end of the tub in front of Gio, who had slowly started to stroke himself. Max watched as Gio got harder while he kissed the sensitive skin of his inner thigh, making his way up to his crotch. Now closer, Gio ran his hand through Max’s wet hair. Max sat back on his knees, his own hand joining Gio’s before the younger man’s hand moved to the edge of the tub for something to hold onto other than just Max’s hair. Max looked up at him as he took the head of his erection into this mouth, swirling his tongue as his hand worked the base of his shaft. Watching as Gio’s head lent back into the tiles Max smiled, feeling Gio’s hand tighten in his hair. Soft moans came out of Gio’s mouth as Max continued to slowly go up and down his length, taking in slightly more and more with each movement, letting his hand continue to do the work where his mouth couldn’t reach, all the while touching himself. Gio knew he was getting close, his arm holding up his body weight as his hips lifted off the edge of the bath, and further into Max’s mouth and throat with Max gagging at the initial unexpected push. Gio looked down and winked at the sound, Max rolling his eyes as his hand squeezed at his balls while his tongue worked the underside of his cock. Max held Gio in mid-air as he put the younger queen’s leg over his shoulder. His hips bucking in the air as he came, Max closing his eyes as he dug his fingers into the soft skin of Gio’s thighs and his ass as the heat filled his mouth. Panting Gio lowered himself into the water as his body relaxed, his hand on the side of Max’s face as the older man’s now empty mouth closed, watching him swallow before his eyes fluttered open. Max leant forward, kissing Gio gently. “God, you’re good” Gio whispered against his lips, smiling as Max turned over to lie down with his head on his chest. Max took his hand as Gio kissed his shoulder, moving it over his abs where his erection was resting up on his stomach. Max’s head rolled back as Gio slowly started to stroke him. He had brought himself to the brink while getting Gio off but nothing was the same as the feeling of his hands on his body and his lips on his skin. “I’d rather be doing this with you than go out any day” He whispered in Max’s ear, the breath on his neck sending goosebumps over Max’s skin. Max turned his head, Gio’s lips grazing his skin from his neck, across his jaw, and finding his lips.  
“I love you” He said against Gio’s deep kiss. Gio’s actions spoke louder than his words, his stroking of Max’s shaft increasing in pace, building up a fast rhythm as he rolled his hips under Max’s. Getting closer and closer to the edge, Gio bit on Max’s lip, the sharp sensation causing a deep moan to come out of Max which drove Gio crazy. He turned, straddling Gio’s hips and grinding against him while he pumped him harder. Holding his head against his neck, Max came with a breathy moan as Gio kissed his jaw, continuing to stroke him until Max’s breath became normal again.  
“Happy I chose to stay?” Gio looked up lovingly as Max chuckled lightly.  
“More than you could ever know” He said playfully as he kissed him. Gio looking down at his stomach and chest and laughing.  
“How is it that I need a shower after we’ve just been in the bath” Gio said as he wiped some of the cum from his body, going to wash it off his hand in the water but then stopping and licking it off his finger, to the surprise of Max.  
“You know you don’t have to do that right?” He said as they got out of the barely warm water, Gio turning on the shower on the opposite wall as Max wrapped a towel around his waist.   
“Can’t blame me for wanting you inside me” He said over his shoulder, knowing how much the filthy images in his head would be driving Max crazy. Max smirked at him before leaving him in the bathroom to get cleaned up. He checked his phone. 9:40pm. Not bad, he thought as he looked out to the moonlit view of the ocean from the window, remembering the golden light they had entered the bathroom during. Max took his robe out of his bag, wrapping himself up in the soft fluffy fabric.   
“Max” Gio called out as he heard the water turn off.  
“Yeah baby?” He called back.  
“Can you get me my bathrobe? It’s in my bag” As Max went through Gio’s things, the younger man stepped out of the bathroom.  
“Do you ever wear clothes” Max joked as he wrapped Gio’s naked body in the warm robe.  
“Oh as if you want me to” Kissing Max’s forehead as he tied the belt around his waist. To Gio’s surprise Max leant into his kiss, Gio lifted his hand to the back of Max’s head and rubbed the short hair as he felt Max relax at the small yet incredibly intimate moment.  
“Thank you for staying tonight” Max whispered.  
Gio lifted his head with a delicate finger under his chin “I wouldn’t miss this weekend for the world my love” leaning down and kissing him gently. Max stepped back and sat on the bed crossed legged against the headboard.   
“So, what should we do now?” Max said as Gio smiled at him, Max would never know how adorable he looked to Gio sitting there in his baby blue bathrobe.   
“How about you find a movie and we do a face mask and we fall asleep with the movie half done” He said, dramatically landing on the bed in Max’s lap.  
“That sounds lovely, but I’m sure my skin care routine is good enough as is” He turned on the TV, going to Netflix and beginning to flick through movies.  
Gio looked at him. The stubbly beginnings of his usually shaven eyebrows currently halfway up his forehead. “Max, soap and moisturizer isn’t a skin care routine”  
“I do a sheet mask occasionally”  
Gio got off the bed going into his bag and taking out a small pouch. “this is what I travel with” he said, emptying the contents onto the bed. Max obviously knew how intense Gio’s skin care routine was, he was his fiancé and they did live together even though they seemed to never be home.  
“That’s what you travel with?” Shocked at the amount of jars that landed in front of him. “I swear you are given like 5 sheet masks a meet and greet”  
“You don’t keep your skin looking this good” resting his chin on his hands and batting his lashes “without a little help” He kneeled on the bed.   
“Isn’t this stuff really expensive?” Max picked up the jars, reading what each of them promised to do on the labels.  
“You said that about that bathrobe but you love it” He smirked.  
“Touché” Admitting defeat after seeing how happy Gio was about them doing something so mundane together. Max settled on The Breakfast Club, a classic, but also something you wouldn’t be mad to fall asleep during.  
“Sheet or Gel?” Gio asked as he sat in front of him.  
“Whichever you want” Max didn’t have any clue what the difference between these things really were and Gio knew that, which made him more happy that he had given in.  
“Gel it is” He leant in, carefully painting the blue mask onto Max’s face. Max loved to watch the way Gio had a resting smile as he covered the curves of his face. There was something undeniably authentic about it. It wasn’t forced or intentional, Gio was just happy, and that was all he ever wanted him to be.   
“What are you smiling at?” He asked playfully as he noticed the way Max was looking back at him.  
“You” He paused as he placed a hand on Gio’s knee “It’s always you” Gio smiled at his lap bashfully. Every day spent together Max was able to constantly remind Gio why he was the only man he could be this madly in love with, why they went through everything to stay together. Moments like this one.  
“ok ok, now you do me” He passed Max the jar and the little spatula.  
“You don’t have to ask me twice” Max laughed at his own joke, Gio winking at him and snorting a quick laugh that he couldn’t contain even though the joke wasn’t even that funny. A very concentrated Max applied a good layer of the mask onto Gio’s face, quite proud of his work. Gio put the masks away before laying down on Max’s chest to watch the movie, taking his phone out and snapping a quick selfie of them in their robes and face masks and posting it to his story. They sat in a perfect silence while the movie played. Neither of them needed to talk at this moment, holding each other’s hand on Gio’s stomach. A yawn from Max signaled that it was time for them to wash what was left off their faces. The sheets on his naked skin felt luxurious to Max as he spread out in the bed.   
“Is there any room for me in there?” Gio said with a smile as he undid his robe, sliding into the bed next to him, entangling their limbs. Neither of them saying anything as Max held him tight while Gio kissed his collarbone and neck before turning over and falling asleep to the feeling of Max caressing his body.

They spent the next day taking their engagement photos. They had gotten all dressed up in matching white shirts and black pants, knowing that the photos taken would be mostly in black and white. Something about the initial photos that were so posed felt unnatural to both of them. It wasn’t their first time at a shoot but this meant more than stock photos that could be added to any poster at any venue. They were walking down the beach hand in hand, photographer in front of them when Gio stopped them. He rested a hand on Max’s chest, leaning in to whisper in his ear.  
“Do you feel as stupid as I do?” He asked with a laugh at how ridiculous these photos would turn out, and the waste of money it would be to have all these photos they didn’t like. Max just nodded, his eyes widening to communicate with just a look. Gio kissed him quickly before taking a few steps into the water. He leaned down and splashed the water up at Max, wetting his once pristine outfit. Max let out a little scream as the water hit him, unable to contain his smile at Gio’s beaming face.  
“Oh you little” He said as he ran forward into the water after him, the bottom of his rolled up pants drenched in the water. Scooping up a lot more water than Gio had, Max splashed him back, Gio unbuttoning his shirt to let it hang open. Max grabbed Gio’s hand as the younger man tried to get back to the safety of the shore, almost losing his footing and narrowly avoiding falling into the water.  
“Max that’s not funny” He laughed “I’ll lose an eyebrow” Pausing he saw the look in Max’s eye change. “Max?, Max no no no no ahhh” He tried to get away but Max grabbed him lifting him into the air, Gio pulling his legs up to his chest as he squealed and they laughed. Max spun them around in the shallows all the while kissing the back of his neck, reassuring him that there was no way that perfect face would go into the water. He put him down gently, Gio instantly turning around in Max’s arms, the two of them still giggling like children. He put his hand on the side of Max’s face, loving how the light of the sun twinkled in his eyes. They both knew that the photographer was getting closer but they didn’t care. Gio didn’t realize but he had just got the perfect photo for them, the ring on his finger resting against the side of Max’s face as they leant in for a sweet kiss.  
“I think we got it” The photographer said as they parted  
“I think we did too” Gio said as Max pulled him in close.   
By the time they got back to the house they were both just ready to go to bed and stay there all night. If it wasn’t for Katelyn, they probably would have done just that. But instead Katelyn convinced them back to the living room for a chill night of board games and wine. They were happy they did. Throughout the night Katelyn took photos of their little group, all including Max and Gio cuddled up next to one another on the floor. Gio rested back into Max’s chest as they sat between the couch and the coffee table, adoring the way that Max would kiss him on the cheek or neck every time he had to lean forward to move his piece on the board. When the game ended they moved to the couch, talking and telling stories, and for a moment they forgot that this wasn’t their normal. That they didn’t get to hold each other every night. That they didn’t get to make each other dinner and breakfast every day. Gio curled up even closer, Max taking a moment before realizing that the younger man had fallen asleep. While Katelyn and the others packed everything up, Max continued to play with Gio’s hair.   
“You’re going to have to wake him up at some point” Katelyn said while the others went up the stairs. Max raised his eyebrow at her, getting up and lifting Gio off the couch in his arms.  
“Who said I had to wake him?”   
Katelyn smirked. “Gio you’re awake aren’t you?”  
“Mayyyybe” He cooed into Max’s shoulder. Them all laughing before Max carried him to bed. Both of them quickly falling asleep the moment they were cuddled up to one another.

“Max” He said, shaking him lightly “Max come one, we’ve over slept” kissing him softly as Max began to stir under him. “come on amore. Your ferry leaves in a few hours, and I’ve got my gig tonight” He said bleakly as he traced hearts on Max’s chest.  
“I’m coming to your gig baby” He said so nonchalantly, Gio thought he must be joking.  
“But- but what about your gig with Sharon tomorrow?” He tried to fain concern but his smile gave away how happy he was for the extra day together.  
“If I get on the ferry before 9am tomorrow I’ll be able to make it” He rolled them over, hovering over him “If it means we get another night together, then it’s worth it”  
“I love you, so, so much” He lifted his head off the pillow to bring Max back down to him as he hooked his leg over Max’s hip. Their pelvis’ grinding against one another. “Oh and good morning to us” He said with a low voice as he stroked both of them under the sheets, Max letting out a low moan against Gio’s lips.  
“Definitely worth it” Max rolled over onto his back, letting Gio’s hands keep going. Max was getting close when there was a knock on the door, both of them jolting upright  
“Max! Gio! Lunch is ready in 10” Katelyn called out. Max put his head back on the pillow with a loud groan, Gio laughing.  
He leant in, lightly biting at Max’s ear. “I got this, go get the shower ready” Kissing his cheek playfully before they both jumped out of bed. Gio wrapped himself in his bathrobe and opened the door just enough so that Katelyn could fully see him but not into the room.  
“Hey Gio, did you just get out of-”  
“Bed? Yeah we over slept. Max just got in the shower. We’ll be in in 15, is that ok?” He was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, but Katelyn knew them all too well for that to ever work on her.  
“This is why I refuse to use the shower at your place” She said, rolling her eyes as she began to walk back to the main house.  
“You know what, that’s a smart call” He said with a chuckle “See you in 15 Katelyn” Blowing her a kiss as he closed the door. He walked into the bathroom, shedding his bathrobe as quickly as he had put it on, and got into the shower with Max who immediately lent into his body. His head craning back in search of Gio’s lips as the younger man’s hands slinked around his soapy body, one going back to his crotch to pick up where they left off in bed, the other hand roaming over his torso. “We’ve only got 15 minutes” He said against the harshness of Max’s kiss as Max’s breath became harder to catch.  
“There’s a reason they call it a quickie baby” 

They walked into the house 25 minutes later. “Long shower?” Katelyn said as she placed the food out on the table with a knowing look at Max that she had thrown Gio’s way earlier when she knocked on the door.  
“Oh you know” He said as Gio’s arms encircled his waist from behind as they leant against the counter “It’s not fair for just one of us to shower and not the other”   
“Yeah Katelyn, you wouldn’t want just one of us to… shower, would you?” He rested his head on Max’s shoulder gently swaying them back and forth, both of them smirking at her.  
“You two have all the subtlety of-”  
“Drag queens?” Max quipped back before she could finish her sentence.  
Katelyn laughed “yes, drag queens”  
“Are we talking about how these 2 haven’t been able to keep their hands off each other since Aquaria got here?” Juicy said as she brought over some glasses and some water with Kari close behind with 2 bottles of wine.  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” Max said sarcastically in a voice that could only be likened to an impersonation of James St James, turning them around to face the other 3.  
Kari paused looking them up and down as Gio’s hands draped over Max’s shoulders and chest, held against him in the hold of Max’s arm around his tiny waist. “Ignoring the fact that your entire bodies are touching. You literally have your hand on his ass right now” They all turned to look, Kari was right of course.  
“Yeah, you would too if you had fiancé half as hot as mine” They all laughed, Gio kissing Max on the cheek as Katelyn all but begged them to finally sit down.  
The 5 of them sat down at the table, serving themselves a plate of food from the various dishes.  
“Katelyn you’ve done too much” Gio said as he wiped his mouth, smiling at her.  
“You full?” She asked as he leaned back in his chair, a visible bump on his usually flat stomach. “Oh damn, you really are” them all laughing “I just thought it would be nice for me, Kari and Juicy’s last meal here”  
The 2 other queens stopped eating for a moment.  
“Wait aren’t we all leaving?” Juicy asked, mouth still a little full.  
Max smiled at his plate, placing a hand on Gio’s thigh next to him. “I wanted to stay an extra night to see his show. We’re about to go a month without seeing each other, so I just want to take advantage of all the time that we can have together while we can” Gio held his hand, squeezing it lightly as he looked into his eyes, unaware of the adoring looks of the people around them. “It’s what you do for the person you love” Gio leant in and kissed him, unable to help himself in the moment.  
“To Max and Gio” Kari said, holding up a glass of wine with a smile.  
“To Max and Gio” the other’s said as they cheersed to their friends. If you had asked Kari and Juicy what they thought would happen going into this weekend, they would have told you they were planning for disaster. They were apprehensive of spending the weekend with Max’s 22-year-old boyfriend, only imagining how badly it could have gone. But they were wrong and they too loved Gio, but more importantly, they loved Gio for Max.

With their friends gone, and Max with little to do other than be a drag husband for the night, they made their way over to the venue for that night’s gig. Max being there let Jordan off the hook for the night, much to Jordan’s hungover relief. They were the first ones into the small dressing room, with Max sitting on the table in front of the mirror with Gio standing between his legs when the others all showed up with a couple of the Werq the World crew members.  
“CRACKER!” Kameron yelled as she realized Max was there, Gio narrowly jumping out of the way before Kameron swooped in and lifted him off the table, basically swinging him around like a ragdoll.  
“woah Kam easy girl” Max said as he was placed back on the floor with a laugh.  
“Oh my god what are you doin’ here?” She said looking back and forth between him and Gio and then down at Max’s Aquaria t-shirt. “I mean clearly you’re here for Aqua but you know what I mean”  
“I decided I wanted to stay the extra day and see the show”  
“Oh well you are in for a treat girl” Asia said as she paused to walk over and give Max a less intense hug, but a warm one none the less. “we got all that choreography and the matching costumes” She unzipped a bag, taking out the red, yellow and green costumes.   
“THE RINGS!” Kameron said, grabbing Max’s hand after he noticed the diamond studded band on his finger.   
“Screw the costumes” Asia threw the costumes back on the chair “both of you, let’s see ‘em” both of them proudly holding out their hands, the other 2 queens taking their hands in theirs, looking them both over as they smiled and squealed.  
“I still can’t believe you two are gettin’ married!” Kameron said, tears in her eyes.  
“Kam are you crying?” Max asked as Gio wrapped an arm around him.  
“No shut up” pushing Max lightly as she wiped the tears. “I’m just really happy for the both of you”  
“Yeah, you two are so cute together. You know we’d do anything for you” They nodded at Asia, already knowing that that was the case. They had become so close to these queens because of their time together on Drag Race but in the past few months they really had become sisters. The help they had offered them while their relationship was a secret was more than they could have ever expected, something that they would never be able to repay them for. But their friends didn’t want to be paid back, seeing how happy they were together was enough.

Max actually enjoyed the night off helping Gio get ready for the show. It took him back to the early days of being a queen when he’d spend more time backstage drinking with the other queens than actually performing. He especially didn’t mind being able to be so carefree with Gio.  
“I don’t even remember the last time I saw people so loved up” Kameron said, finishing her makeup and looking over where Gio was almost done putting on his makeup, sitting on Max’s lap the whole time. It was a shock that this makeup was even done with the amount of times that Max started tickling Gio right before Gio would apply something, the sound of Gio’s laughter ringing through the dressing room.  
“Horny Kam, the word you’re looking for is horny” Asia smirked as they all put on their matching boxer’s robes. “Alright ladies, let’s do this” The 3 of them high fived. Kameron doing a final adjustment to her wig, following Asia out the door. Gio turned to Max who was leaning back on the dressing table, leaning in for a final kiss before going to the stage.  
“Kill it baby” He smiled, kissing the back of Gio’s hand before watching him go to the stage. Max went out to the front, finding Jordan and Gio’s friends.  
“MAX” Jordan called out upon seeing him, pulling him into a hug.  
“Hey Jordan” Patting him on the back. “Hey Linux, Joe, Ty” Making his way around the group.  
“Hey, sorry about the other day” Linux said as she leant down to hug him, still feeling guilty about what had happened.   
“It’s really fine” He held her hand, squeezing it lightly “trust me”   
They may never be the best of friends but they all knew they shouldn’t fight, and this wasn’t worth fighting over. Max took his seat in the audience. Asia was right, he was in for a treat with this show. Their group performance was amazing. The choreography was so good with them all in perfect unison yet also able to hold their own in their solo parts of the wider number. Max and Jordan the most vocal during Gio’s solo part, the two of them making the loudest section of Aquaria’s cheer squad. At the end of the show the 3 of them and Shangela got one of the loudest applauses Max thinks he’d ever heard, him proudly joining in, standing on the bench in the front row. Gio laughed, seeing Max and his friends standing above the crowd. The after party started before the venue staff could even clear the floor of the benches that had been set out as impromptu seating. Kameron and Asia came out first, already out of drag. After waiting a few more minutes Max headed back stage to see if Gio needed any help.  
“How do you do all this when I’m not around” Max laughed, leaning against the door frame as he watched Gio try and get his suitcase closed.  
Gio sighed “honestly Jordan does it. He may not be the smartest, but his skinny ass makes this look so easy”  
Max walked over, readjusting the way his makeup bag and shoes were positioned and closing the suitcase with ease. Gio kissing him on the cheek, taking him by the hand and walking out into the party. Most people just wanted to congratulate them on their engagement, pulling them away from each other to get their attention.   
“Do I get you back now?” Gio said as he put his arms around Max’s neck when he walked over to the group of Gio and his friends. It didn’t take long of them standing there with Max’s arm around his waist for Gio to start playing with the hair at the nape of Max’s neck, a little silent hint that only Max would know. They smirked at each other, neither of them listening to the conversation in front of them. Max’s hand moved to his hip and Gio leaned in a little more. He placed a hand on his chest, leaning into his ear. “Home time?” rubbing his hand across Max’s chest. Max looked up at him, a smile playing on his lips as he nodded.  
“YOU’RE LEAVING ALREADY” Jordan said, the only one who noticed what was going on. Everyone in the group turned to them.  
“And you always thought I was the one wanting to leave” Max winked at him, Jordan laughing, throwing up his hand in defeat as the “ooos” and snickers came out of the group at the light jab. They said their goodbyes to everyone, grabbing Gio’s bag from the dressing room before walking back to the Air BnB. Gio offered his arm as they walked along the boardwalk in the warm night air, Max smiling at the way the moonlight shone off his porcelain skin. They talked about nothing and everything, even the moments of silence with the waves crashing in the distance were wonderful in their own way. Max put the suitcase down just inside the door. Gio stood behind him, slowly running his hands over Max’s shoulders and biceps.   
“I’ll be right back” Gio whispered in his ear in the dark before going into the bathroom.  
Max took off his shirt, packing it away and taking out a fresh shirt and a pair of jeans and one of Gio’s tank tops and go to black sweatpants for the morning when they’d be leaving bright and early, Gio having decided to get on the same ferry and spend the extra day running some errands in New York. He kicked off his shoes, unbuttoning his pants and slipping them off as Gio stepped out of the bathroom in nothing but a black jockstrap. Gio turned on the lamp next to the bed, reaching out for Max to come to him.  
“I’m shocked you kept that on” Reaching the side of the bed and holding Gio’s face in his hands “Who are we fooling?” Running his thumbs over his cheekbones and down to his jaw.  
Gio looked up at him with wide eyes, his lips slightly parted “I like it when you undress me” He whispered as he leant up, tracing a line of soft kisses on the muscles of Max’s abdomen. He had been getting more of a workout in with the constant touring and his body was even more surprisingly muscular than before. He travelled lower and lower, focusing on the V line that led to the waistband of his underwear. He hooked his thumbs under the band and slowly pulled them down, exposing him, semi hard already. He continued the line all the way to the base of Max’s shaft, slowly, taking his time as his gazed up at him. “I really don’t get to appreciate your body enough like this Max” He said as he made his way along his length, his mouth lingering at the tip as his hands ran over his thighs, bringing out a soft moan from Max. He brought Gio back up with a single finger under his chin, laying him back on the bed and lifting his leg into the air as he undressed him, Gio somehow elegantly moving to assist the removal. He lay down on top of him, kissing him briefly before working down his jaw to his neck.  
“I miss kissing your neck when we’re apart” Max said between the soft biting and sucking of his delicate skin.  
“I miss you kissing my neck when we’re apart” He giggled, feeling Max smile briefly as he worked his way around his pale neck, and just below his jaw. Gio’s hips began to roll under him as the moans escaped his lips the more pressure Max applied. “Mark my skin” Gio said between moans.  
“hmm?” He hummed against Giovanni’s jaw, sending chills through the younger man’s body.  
“Mark me as yours, don’t try and hide it, I don’t care anymore” Max pulled back, looking at him while he spoke. Gio reached up to caress his face gently “If people see it, then they know it’s you and only you who could have done it” Max pinned him to the bed, Gio gasping at first as he started at the base of his neck, his gentle kisses becoming harder as he worked his way up Gio’s neck to the point slightly further back below his ear. The moment he began to suck and bite on the skin Gio’s began to let out a string of little moans, Max knew how much he loved that specific spot most of all. Max’s hands kneaded into the soft flesh of Gio’s hip as they grinded against one another, painfully hard. Max removed his lips from his neck to examine his work, the bruise already forming under the white skin. With his arms free from Max’s grip, Gio immediately pulled him in for a deep, messy, frantic kiss. Their tongues furiously swirling in each other’s mouth, their lips desperate for that familiar touch. Max reached around, first grabbing at Gio’s ass, slapping it, once, twice, three times, each time harder than the last. Max’s hand kneading the soft flesh to numb the light pain after each hit. Gio sounded his approval with a vocalizing sound of pleasure as he jolted into Max with every hit, grinding harder against him. Max’s hand moved, his fingers massaging around his entrance.   
“You can’t just tease me like this” Gio whined as his mouth trailed across Max’s collar bone. Max took 2 finger’s, spitting on them before reaching back and slowly pushing them into Gio who let out a loud purr-like sound “Come on please, daddy please” Gio begged, both of them pausing, Gio was even shocked at what he had just said in the heat of the moment.  
With an eyebrow in the air and a devilish smile on his lips   
“Did you just call-”  
“Yep” Gio cut him off.  
“Fuck” Was all Max could respond as he pulled him and Gio together, shocked at how much he liked it, Gio definitely not complaining as Max turned him over. He took the bottle of lube from the little bag he had stashed in the bedside drawer, anticipating this moment after that morning’s shower. As he coated himself he teased him a little with his thumb, watching as he backed into his finger, wanting more, his whimpers all but begging him. Max pushed himself in, leaning over Gio and kissing his shoulder as the younger man winced, taking in a sharp intake of breath as his body accommodated Max inside him. The trail of kisses across Gio’s defined back only increased as Max pushed himself fully in, giving Gio a moment before he started to gently thrust in and out of him.  
“How’s that baby?” He said, low into Gio’s ear, biting his lip at the tightness around him. Gio didn’t say anything, only reaching back and putting his hand on Max’s on his ass, spreading him wider, wanting all of him, needing all of him.  
“I want to look at you while you fuck me” Gio said as he craned his neck around and up at Max, who carefully pulled out of him before turning him around and lifting one of Gio’s legs up onto his shoulder, kissing his calf, knee and thigh; wanting to cover his entire body with kisses. Pushing himself back in with greater ease, he found a steady pace, going deeper into him with each rhythmic thrust. Gio started to jack himself off as he writhed under Max, that sight itself almost enough to bring him to his climax. Max lowered himself, Gio taking the opportunity to pull Max in to kiss him gently.  
“Baby, come ride me” He said as he sat back, bringing Gio up so he was on his lap, a knee on either side of his lap. Gio repositioned himself, wincing a little bit before rocking his hips against Max’s, the deepness in this position making it his favourite. Gio started moving up and down Max’s shaft with haste, the moment Max’s hand wrapped around his shaft made him almost cum right then in his hands. They both let out a chorus of loud moans and groans and expletives, feeling free to be as loud as they wanted in their secluded get away. Gio stifled their voices as he leaned down and kissed Max, holding his head with both hands and running them through his hair as Max had one hand securely on Gio’s ass and the other around his cock. Gio came first, his muscles tightening around Max as the white drops landed on his chest, all the while riding Max through his orgasm, biting into his shoulder. Moments later Max’s breath hitched, his hips convulsing as Gio felt a new heat within him, filling him up.  
“mmmm yes daddy” He moaned and whimpered desperately at the feeling, kissing Max as he rode him out, getting what he so badly wanted. The way they kissed one another as they came down from their high was different to before, it was slower and deeper, Max’s holding his grip around Gio’s waist extra tight. Gio leant in, wiping some of the white beads with a small towel but collecting some with his tongue and lips. He brought their lips together, Max’s cleaning Gio of himself.  
Gio moaned as Max gently pulled himself out, a few drips dripping out of him.  
“well that was amazing” Gio said as he lay down next to Max, his head on his chest, looking up at him.  
“Baby,” He paused, not wanting to say amazing, trying to find the words to describe the way Gio had just made him feel “I love you”  
Gio smiled, loving that that’s all the wheels turning in his head could come up with. “I love you too” He moved a little higher, nestling into the crook of Max’s neck. Max kissed his forehead, wrapping his arm around Gio.  
“So daddy huh?” Max said breaking the silence. Gio didn’t even have to look up to know about the grin plastered on Max’s face.  
“How about it? Daddy” He said flirtatiously. Max just kissed him, rolling Gio to the side and pulling his leg over his. “You should have seen what that word did to you when I said it. You looked like you were going to devour me…and I wanted you to”   
Max chuckled “Well we have plenty of time for that when I get back from Pittsburgh” He said, nestling into Gio for a change, loving the feeling of Gio stroking his hair.  
“You nervous?” Gio asked. He knew Max was nervous about this show with Sharon but he didn’t want to pry to much, in case he freaked him out.  
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared of meeting Sharon” Gio pulled him in tight, feeling him relax in his arms.  
“It’s going to be ok. What’s the worst she could say?”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max set out in the hopes of getting to know Gio's drag family better, but a conversation with Sharon after their gig sends Max into a mental tailspin while Gio just wants to look to the future.

Max barely made it to the gig in Pittsburgh with enough time to get ready. Both him and Gio knew they needed to be on the 9am ferry off Fire Island at the very latest if Max was going to make it to the gig on time. Even with this in mind they didn’t seem to be in a rush when they woke up. Max had been curled up in Gio’s arms all night, Gio tightening his hold around him as he stirred awake to the sound of the alarm going off. Max nestled his head into Gio, relishing the moment before the day started, even though the alarm continued to go off. Gio groaned into Max’s hair wishing the alarm would turn itself off. Max rolled free, reaching out to turn off the annoying sound, Gio immediately pulling him back against him while kissing his shoulder blade and burying his face into the crook of his neck.  
“Babyyyy” Max protested against the firm grip around his waist, turning in his arms to face him, met with Gio’s still closed eyes as he pretended to be asleep. “Come on baby we have to get up” He kissed him on cheek, on the nose, the other cheek, covering his face in little kisses, his eyelashes tickling his skin as Gio scrunched up his face.  
“Fiiiine, I’m awake” He said in a whiny voice, his eye slowly opening to the sight of Max smiling back at him. It was 6:30 in the morning, an annoying but familiar feeling of being tired so they could travel. Max leant in and kissed him, his body all but falling back into the bed as Gio lifted his hand to the side of his face. “Hmm” he hummed as he rubbed Max’s face with his thumb.  
“Are you trying to tell me I need to shave?” Parting their lips as Gio continued to stroke his cheek and jaw where a considerable amount of Max’s beard had grown back. It wasn’t surprising given the fact that Max’s hair grew back so quickly.  
“I wish you didn’t have to. I really like it. I can’t even remember the last time you had this much facial hair” Max laid back to let Gio rest on his chest.  
“Yeah well I don’t get this much time off that often”  
“Well it’s a good thing I love you either way” Gio gave him a quick kiss before Max had to get out of bed to shave and shower before they left.

They somehow got out of the house and to the ferry in time for the 9am trip, the last possible time slot that would get Max to Vain on time.  
Katelyn was waiting for him at the airport, having flown in the previous night as they had originally planned. Max was fairly silent on the drive from the airport to the venue. Katelyn didn’t pry, she knew how nervous Max was about meeting Sharon tonight, probably more than Gio even knew since she’d heard him talking about it for weeks now.  
“Miz Cracker!” Lola said as the car pulled up. Max got out of the car, Lola coming over to give him a hug “For a moment there I thought you wouldn’t make it” She joked before helping him and Katelyn get the suitcases out of the trunk. “What, did you come straight from the airport?” She asked at the amount of cases that they had brought to the venue.  
Max snorted “Actually, yeah I did” Shaking his head. Lola looked at him confused, from everything they’d spoken about prior she was sure he had been in Pittsburgh since early the previous evening. “I stayed for the extra night” Lola smirked at him, not questioning any further as she helped them get the suitcases to the dressing rooms.  
“All set?” Lola asked. She really took her hosting job seriously, Max thought. He had been here for less than 5 minutes and he was 30 minutes late but she made him feel at home in this club.  
“Is Sharon here?” He asked, taking his makeup bag out while Katelyn got his gown onto a hanger.  
Lola offered a sympathetic smile. Gio had called Lola after he dropped Max at the airport, seeing how nervous he was about how tonight would go, hiding it poorly. Max had held Gio so tight he thought he would never let go, his eyes squeeze tight as he buried his head in Gio’s chest. He was so worried that he almost considered getting on the flight himself and making the trip with him. But Gio knew he wouldn’t want that, that this was something he had to go do without him. That and Gio had a string of important meetings and a laser session already booked in New York for that day and the next morning. They would be seeing each other the next day, back at their apartment together for the first time in what felt like months.  
“She’s getting ready in the other room. Taking her sweet time. You know how winners can be” She winked at him, knowing Gio would appreciate her trying to calm his nerves as best she could.  
Max smiled, opening the lid of his makeup case, a picture of him and Gio stuck to the underside of the lid. Lola smiled seeing the photo.  
“I’ll leave you to it” Leaving Katelyn and Max to get ready. Max sighed, touching the picture in front of him, and starting to get ready. Why was the thought of meeting Sharon more intimidating than when he met Gio’s dad for the first time? Sharon had no reason to not like him. Gio’s dad had reason to not like him and he still welcomed him with open arms more or less.  
“Cracker” “Cracker” “CRACKER!” Katelyn brought him out of his dazed state “Are you ok?” She asked as she noticed how out of it he really was.  
“Yeah, yeah I’m fine” He looked at himself, actually looking at the makeup he had put on. He had been on autopilot for what must have been an hour. Thank god he knew how to do Cracker’s face in his sleep at this point and had done a good neutral look while lost in thought.  
“Gold gown or blue” She said, holding up the 2 dresses for him to pick.  
“Um” Max stopped, not knowing which one to pick, looking between the dresses and trying to make a decision. His blue dress from Dragcon LA hadn’t been worn recently so it was a good different option. But then he remembered the last time he wore the gold gown. How Gio had picked it out for their show in Columbus, their debut as a couple, the dress that was draped over the chair when Gio proposed. “the gold” He smiled, the memories that the dress brought out easing his nerves, knowing that Gio wouldn’t want him to be feeling like this. Wig on, Katelyn zipped him up. As if on cue there was a knock at the door.  
“Boo!” Max’s head turned to that unmistakable voice as Katelyn opened the door and Sharon was standing there in all her glory. “You must be Katelyn” She said, shaking Katelyn’s hand in both of hers.  
“Sharon” Max said, a little speechless and feeling a little caught off guard.  
“I would have waited to make sure you were dressed but I guessed you would have been ready by now” Leaning against the door frame. She walked across the dressing room and took his hands “Besides, I just had to meet my future daughter in law” She leant in and gave Max a gentle hug and an air kiss. “God you really are a tiny one aren’t ya”   
“It’s not the size, it’s what you do with it” He said with a wink, counting his blessings when Sharon laughed.  
“Well I can’t wait to see what Miz Cracker can do” She smiled.  
“Ready ladies?” Lola said, walking into the dressing room. Relieved to see both Sharon and Max smiling.  
“She’s Ready!” Max said, a little too cheerfully and Cracker’s voice in full effect. Clearly the relief of how that had just gone was having an effect on him immediately.  
“After you” Sharon Gestured to Katelyn who led the way out. “Oh I almost forgot” She said just as they were about to enter the meet and greet, turning in her tracks so fast that Max almost bumped into her. “Congratulations” She said with a small nod before leaning in “Giovanni’s a special one”  
Max smiled down, unable to not blush “I know. I’m very lucky to have him”  
They went into the meet and greet, seated next to each other in what felt like the setup for a family portrait no one had asked for. As the line filtered through Max was happy that him and Sharon could exchange the odd joke or comment here and there. Katelyn grabbed a picture of them and sent it to Gio. She didn’t know it but Gio had been waiting for that text to come through, relief washing over him as he sat on their old couch, eating dinner with one of the crime show’s Max had got him hooked on playing in the background.

Once back in the dressing room Max put his engagement ring back on immediately, feeling naked without it for the past hour. He got changed quickly, making sure there was no way he would miss Sharon’s set, that seemed rude given the occasion. Sitting side stage Max couldn’t help but think about how different Sharon and Aquaria were. Sure they were a drag family but their drag was so different. Sure Aquaria had her spooky gothic looks but she was so much more. And Sharon was so into her live performances, performing her own music almost exclusively. He couldn’t help but wonder if him and Bob were really that different. He didn’t think they were. Then again him and Bob met under much different circumstances than Gio and Sharon did. Sharon did have a way of commanding a stage that was similar to the way Aquaria would. When it came time for his performance all of the nerves washed off Max, letting Miz Cracker take over his insecurities.   
“Oh my god thank you so much” He said as the crowd applauded loudly after his second set that closed the night   
“Everyone keep giving it up for Miz Cracker and your season 4 winner Sharon Needles!” Lola hyped up the crowd as she and Sharon came back onto the stage. “Thank you everyone and goodnight” A very happy Lola said her goodbyes, the night couldn’t have gone any better in her eyes.  
Max walked back to the dressing room, taking off his earrings and rings other than his engagement ring as his heels clicked on the floor.  
“Miz Cracker!” Sharon called out behind him, causing him to stop before getting to the room where Katelyn was packing everything back up for him. She walked up “I would run but not in these heels” She joked as she reached Max. “If you feel up to it, why don’t you come over to my house and we’ll have a couple drinks and actually have some time to talk” Max paused for a minute, a little shocked if he was honest.  
“Bringing me home after 1 day?” Bringing his hand to his chest “I’d love to”  
“Great. I’ll see you outside”  
Max took a deep breath before going in to tell Katelyn he actually needed to dedrag tonight. He put himself back in the clothes he had arrived in. Katelyn turned down Max’s offer to come with him, both out of exhaustion but also feeling like this wasn’t her place to intrude. If Sharon wanted to invite him over for a drink, there must be a reason she invited just him. He wasn’t going to let Katelyn cart everything back to the car on her own, he owed her in the very least to help her with that. Lola saw them walking everything back to a car and stopped them.  
“Katelyn, I can drop you back at the hotel if you want someone to help you with all those bags” She offered walking back to her car. Knowing that Max was going to Sharon’s after this.  
“Lola you are a saint!” Max exclaimed, thankful that Katelyn wouldn’t have to do all this alone.  
“Oh please” Taking the suitcase from Katelyn “You need to go meet the parents”   
“Oh honey you don’t even know how real that feels” He leant in for a hug.  
“You are welcome back any time lovely, thank you so much” She said, kissing his cheek and helping Katelyn get everything into her car. Max waved them goodbye when a car pulled up in front of him and Sharon walked out of the club.  
“Ride’s here” Sharon said as she pulled her bag behind her. “Chad this is Miz Cracker, Miz Cracker this is my old man Chad” She said about the shorter man who got out of the car wearing dark jeans and black leather jacket.  
“Nice to meet you Miz Cracker”   
“Hey, call me Max” He said as he shook his hand.  
“Max” Sharon said, correcting herself.  
“He’s part of the family babe” Chad said going over and giving Sharon a quick kiss before putting her bag in the trunk of the car. Max got in the back, listening in and joining in where he could as Sharon filled Chad in about everything from the night, even little details about overzealous fans in the crowd that Max hadn’t noticed. Max noticed the way Sharon had a hand on Chad’s leg as they drove to the house. They pulled up in the fairly residential street. Max wondered what their neighbors felt about a drag queen living next door. He also couldn’t stop himself from thinking about the fact that they had pulled up to a house in a normal everyday neighborhood. It wasn’t a block of apartments like him and Gio’s home.  
“I’ll get that” He said as Chad opened the trunk to get Sharon’s bag out, getting a surprised look from both Sharon and Chad “It’s the least I could do”   
“Well if you’re trying to get in my good books it’s working” Chad laughed as he let Max get the suitcase out of the trunk and up the stairs into the house. The house was bigger than Max had expected. It wasn’t huge by any means but it was at least 4 times the size of his and Gio’s current apartment.  
“It’s shocking what you can get for the same amount of money per month in New York verses Pittsburgh” Sharon said as she noticed Max looking around.  
“I can only imagine” He said with wide eyes thinking about the rent him and Gio were paying currently for an apartment they were never in. “Um where do you want this?” He asked, still holding the suitcase.   
“I’ll take it upstairs” Chad said, taking it off Max’s hands “I don’t want to be rude but I think I’m going to go to bed, I’ve got an early morning”   
“Night babe, we won’t be too loud” Sharon said leaning down and giving him a quick peck.  
“It was nice to meet you Max” He said with a quick hug.  
“I’m sure I’ll see you at the next family reunion” Getting a laugh out of Chad.  
“I look forward to it. Night ladies” Squeezing Sharon’s hand as he went upstairs.   
“Can I get you a drink?” Sharon asked turning back to Max.  
“What do you have?”  
Sharon snorted “what don’t I have! Here, take a seat, get comfortable” She guided him through to the living room while she went into the kitchen do grab them some drinks. “Are you a beer man or a wine man?” She called out.  
“What do you think she drinks?” He called back at the options listed for him getting a low chuckle from Sharon.  
“Red or White?”  
“Whatever’s open” Max wasn’t going to be picky, he wasn’t really a drinker any more. In fact, he was mostly sober, aside from the glass of wine he’d had each night while they were away. But he wasn’t going to refuse a drink from Sharon in her home. She came back in and passed him the glass of red wine.  
“Oh your ring is lovely” Noticing the band as Max took the glass from her hand “did you get matching rings?” Sitting in the chair opposite him.  
“Um no actually, well kinda. Gio bought this one after I proposed to him so it’s similar to his but not the same. His is thinner and more blingy” Max spun his ring around nervously out of habit at this point.  
“Sounds about right” They both laughed, Max had never thought about how their rings were actually good representations of them “And the other ring you wear?” Gesturing to the ring with the star on his other hand.  
“Oh Gio gave me this the night we got back together and-”  
“Back together?” Sharon looked confused. Max had assumed Gio had probably told her all of this at some point.  
“Uh yeah, we first got together during filming and then there was a misunderstanding once we got back to New York that meant nothing progressed and then I went over to his apartment one night and the rest is history” Max smiled thinking about how far they’d come in such a short period of time.  
“I never realized you two had broken up before” It was strange that Giovanni hadn’t told her this. She thought there would be no surprises tonight but you can’t predict everything, clearly.  
“It was rough but we came out of it”  
There was an uncomfortable silence for what was really only a few seconds but felt like an eternity as Sharon took a long drink from her can of PBR.  
“So how are you two holding up? You know with all the touring and never seeing each other thing”  
Max sighed, knowing this would eventually come up tonight. “We’re managing. Trying to find time together when we can. Talking every day. Making the most out of time that can be spent together.”  
“Tiring isn’t it” It sounded like a question but it wasn’t. It was a statement. A tipsy but knowledge and experience backed statement.  
“You do what you have to do for the people you love” Max could feel himself getting defensive very quickly.   
“And what would you be willing to do for him?” She leant forward in the armchair.  
“Anything” He didn’t even have the think.  
“Anything?” Sharon looked skeptical. “Would he do anything as well?”  
“I have no doubt in my mind that he would”  
“Even quit drag” There was a long pause and Sharon looked at him cockily, as if she had just taken the upper hand in a game Max didn’t even know he was playing. All he could do was sit there and look at her, dumbfounded.  
“I wouldn’t expect either of us to put the other in a position where that would happen”  
“So you’re willing to put your life on hold while he grows up? Or are you going to be the one taking the back seat?”  
Max was still in a state of shock at the turn this conversation had taken all of a sudden. “I’m sorry, but what exactly are you implying?”  
Sharon sat back, crossing her legs with a bit of a sigh. “You old are you Max?”  
“34”  
“Great, you’re 2 years younger than me. Now I know when I was your age I was wanting to settle down, get security for once. Do you not want that?”  
“Of course I want that it’s just-”  
“And when you were 22 did you think about getting married or buying a home or any of the things you think about now?”  
“No but-”  
“So why expect Giovanni to?”  
Max took a long pause as he tried to figure out what to say. “I know this is what he wants. I know him. He’s my fiancé. He is my entire world”  
“And I’m sure that’s the same for him but what happens when you two can’t keep this up? Because trust me when I say this can get to be too much very quickly” Her voice was a lot more serious now.  
“We’re doing the best we can, given the circumstances” Max tried to keep himself calm. Was Sharon trying to test him, did she really think their relationship was finite?  
“So you’re ok with barely seeing him?”  
Was she trying to make him mad at this point? “No obviously not but we don’t have another choice. I’m sure you and Chad find it hard when you’re apart”  
She picked up her can again “We do find it hard but we’re never apart for that long and BECAUSE of our different jobs it means he can come with me on tour. Look around Max. Who do you see on these tours with queens? It’s either their partners if they’re in a relationship or their friends if they’re not, yet the two of you are in a relationship and still carting your best friend’s around the world with you”  
“So you want one of us to quit drag to help sell the other’s merch or take meet and greet photos?”  
“Would that mean that you got to see each other more?” She took a another drink.  
Confused and honestly offended at what was being thrown his way Max scoffed at what he was hearing “You realize how ridiculous you sound right?”  
“I’m not being ridiculous when I know that drag queen’s dating can work but drag race girls dating really doesn’t, especially when one’s a winner and one’s a fan favourite. When Giovanni told me you two were dating all I could see were very distinct parallels to what I had gone through”   
“We’re different to you and Alaska” Max read Sharon’s face as he opened an old wound. If Sharon wanted to keep having this conversation then this was going to have to be included and not just eluded to.  
“Are you?” She put the can back down on the table, leaning forward once more “Max one of the main reasons me and Alaska couldn’t work was because it’s really fucking hard to have 2 stars in a relationship” There was that word again. Star. A word that hung around in the back of Max’s mind waiting for a chance to break him again.  
“Again we’re different than you and Alaska so I don’t see the point you are trying to make” He said so flippantly, not even able to look at her even though she was sitting directly in front of him. Sharon paused, knowing that this had not gone the way either of them wanted it to go. Max on the other hand had turned his ring around, gently passing his thumb over the little gold star and hearing Gio’s comforting voice in his head, the memory being able to subside the insecurity that was coming back up.  
“Max I don’t care if you don’t like what I’m telling you. I’m trying to look out for you. You seem like a good guy but you have to understand that to a lot of us your relationship with Gio makes little to no sense” Max felt like he was being spoken down to. Sharon had even said it before, she was only 2 years older than he was, she had no right to be talking to him in this way. She barely knew him.  
“Please tell me who “A lot of us” are, because to everyone who actually knows us it makes all the sense in the world”  
Sharon sighed, wishing she had never said anything in the first place. “Me, Alaska, Chad, Lola, and some other people who knew Gio when he was younger. But none of that actually matters. Max I’m not wanting to attack you but I am trying to bring you back down to earth so you see this the way everyone else does”  
“And what way is that?” His words like acid leaving his lips.   
“That you just proposed to your 22-year-old superstar boyfriend after only 8 months of dating and after hating each other for months less than 6 months before you got together. Your massive falling out as just friends was literally a television plot line” She was blunt. She felt like she had to be “Max, me and Alaska were strong too at the beginning. We were strong in the first few months of touring. I’m worried that you two only know the honeymoon phase of a relationship. The honeymoon ends eventually” She knew she was getting through to him but there was no way he would show her that “Have you two ever even had a fight?”  
Max felt like he was on the verge of tears as he tried to keep his breathing calm. “Once. We have had 1 real fight” He said with more confidence than he thought he would be able to muster up.  
“Real fight?” Sharon questioned.   
“Yes real fight. Like a fight where we yelled and said things we didn’t mean and I walked out the door but then I came back and we were perfectly happy again an hour later ok?”  
“So what’s not a real fight?”  
“Oh come on this is so unnecessary. Sharon you’re in a committed relationship with Chad now yes?” Sharon nodded “Then you know exactly what I mean. I’m talking about when you have a little disagreement over what to have for dinner or which Ikea bookshelf works best in the living room. The little things that mean nothing that you can joke about immediately after. The fights you don’t mind losing because he does that little pouty face at you and you cave because you love him. That shit Sharon” He broke just enough for his voice to break a little when he started talking about Gio.  
“Max I’m not doubting that you love him. It’s very clear that you do. I just don’t want to see him get hurt” Sharon was coming for a very maternal place with all this. She had seen him grow up, had coached him through it all, was his number 1 supporter when he was getting ready to go on drag race. No matter where she was in the world she made it a priority to try and call Giovanni every day to check up on him before he left for LA. She cared more than Gio even knew.  
“You really think I’m going to hurt him?”  
“I really think that the people we love the most can easily do the most damage. And I’m sorry but this life that we lead can bring that out of us” Sharon looked a little empty on the inside. As though she had regrets not only from tonight but from long ago too, that tonight had brought up again.  
“I thank you for your concern but I think you need to know us as a couple before you can make that judgement. You seem to forget that Gio was there when you and Alaska fell out, he knows what this can do. Literally the day we got together he said he had seen this ruin a couple and he didn’t want to see that happen to us”  
“And I sure hope that it all works out for you both. Trust me, I really do. You’re a good man Max and damn good drag queen. Both of you are and this is the time you get to shine, and it doesn’t last long”  
Max sighed, every word Sharon said just sent him further into a spiral that he knew would be hard for him to get out of.  
“It’s getting late and I need to be on a flight back to Gio at midday” He put the glass, still mostly full, down on the coffee table as he stood up.   
“Do you need me to call you a cab?” She asked, putting her empty beer can down and standing up as well. She would have asked him to stay but didn’t want to make things any worse.   
“It’s cool I’ll just get an uber” Taking out his phone and getting a car almost immediately. Sharon walked him to the door.  
“It really was lovely to meet you Max. Next time I promise our conversation won’t be so intense” She seemed genuinely oblivious to the internal tailspin she had set him on, that he was still currently experiencing.  
He forced a weak smile, he’d done it so often before that he knew at the very least it would be convincing enough. “I look forward to it” he didn’t. 

The entire ride back to the hotel Max’s mind just felt blank. He felt nothing at all, at least not at this moment. He felt so much when Sharon was questioning him that his mind had locked itself down to protect his heart. It was like they all said, Miz Cracker doesn’t fly or fight, she freezes. Max was so thankful that Katelyn was asleep when he got back to the hotel. He loved her dearly but he couldn’t talk about it right now. He got changed in the dark, not wanting light to wake her. 12 hours he thought as he got into the stiff hotel sheets. 12 hours till he would be home. 12 hours till he could see him. 12 hours until he could feel happiness again.

Katelyn had noticed Max was down when they made their way back to New York, but she didn’t pry. If he wanted to talk about it then he would have said something. They had 2 days off in New York and Katelyn was just happy that they’d have time off actually in their homes and not having to spend every moment together. As the cab pulled up to his apartment, Max still had that weighted feeling in his stomach from what Sharon had said the previous night. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had reached into his back pocket for his keys to unlock their apartment. There was a light sound of music playing which only got louder once Max opened the door. Oh how many times he had come home to the sound of Lady Gaga playing even in the early hours of the morning, it instantly brought a smile to his face.  
“Honey! I’m home” He called out, closing the door behind him. Gio stuck his head out from their bedroom.  
“Have I ever told you how much I love how cliché you are?” Leaning against the door frame in his Aquaria tank top, black jeans and heeled boots, looking as stunning as ever.  
Max left his bags at the door and walked over to him, placing his hands on Gio’s shoulders and reaching up on his toes to give him a long awaited kiss. There was something about kissing the love of your life that could melt away your worries, and for Max this could not have been more true. That weight that had sat in his stomach and kept him up all night washed away for a moment.  
“How did your meetings go” He asked as he put his heels back on the ground, Gio taking his hands as he spun him around so he could lean on the couch.  
“Cosmo went well, I don’t know how people will react to the long ass lower lashes but I thought I looked cute”  
Max stepped into him, Gio opening his legs and wrapping his hands around Max’s waist as the older man rested his arms around his shoulders. “You always look cute. How about that other meeting?” He said tentatively, knowing that it was an important one for Gio. He looked down, smiling and taking Max’s hand in his before he looked back up.  
“I got the Moschino H&M campaign” He said with a smile.  
“WHAT!” Max said, shocked but excited as he stepped back, covering his in awed mouth with his hands, knowing how big this was for Gio and how badly he had wanted this “Are you serious?!” Gio just nodded as he beamed up at him, laughing and almost crying at how happy Max was for him. “Baby I’m so proud of you oh my god” He stepped back, taking Gio’s face in his hand and kissing him, both of them unable to stop smiling as their lips moved together.  
“Hmm” Gio hummed as he parted them. “I almost forgot to ask how last night went with you and Sharon?”  
“Ummm” Max couldn’t help but notice how hopeful he was as he looked up at him, rubbing the backs of his hands with his thumb “It was fine”  
“Really, just fine? I thought you went back to hers for drinks after the gig” Max raised an eyebrow, how did he know about that “Katelyn told me”  
“Right, of course um yeah it was strange but I think she likes me, implied that we’d talk again so yeah it was good” He didn’t want to lie to Gio, so he tried his best not to. He was so happy and they should be celebrating his accomplishments not having Max bring both of them down. “So, what’s the plan for our afternoon off?” Max said, trying to change the subject before Gio could tell something was up.  
“I actually have a surprise for you, well two actually but” He checked his phone “We kinda have to get going like right now” Max looked at him quizzically.  
“What are we doing?” He asked as Gio grabbed his wallet off the bench and put it in his pocket.  
“Now that would ruin the idea of a surprise now wouldn’t it” His phone pinged “Now come on we’re taking the subway. You haven’t forgotten how to be a New Yorker have you?” He joked as he took Max by the hand and locked the door behind them.

After about 40 minutes and a short walk they arrived at a building in Chelsea where a man was outside waiting for them as they walked up to the entrance.   
“Mr Palandrani?” They both paused for a brief second, it had been a long time since anyone had called Gio that.  
“Yes that’s me. Nice to meet you” He said shaking the man’s hand. “This is my fiancé Max”  
“Nice to meet you” The man extended his hand to Max, who was still confused as hell when he shook his hand back.  
“Shall we go upstairs?” He asked.  
“After you” Gio said cheerfully, taking Max’s hand in his again as they followed the man into the building. After a quick elevator ride they got to a small hallway with a door at each end.   
“So this is the place” The man said, opening the far door and walking them into the apartment. There were large windows that over looked the city on the wall across from them. They were standing next to a kitchen that was easily twice the size of their kitchen at home. “So this place has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, we allow pets. As you can see we have a large open plan living space with a wonderful kitchen and space for you to have a couch or two and a TV as well as a 6 seat dining table with room to spare”  
“This place is lovely” Max said, immediately drawn to see what the view was like.  
“Do you mind if we take a look around ourselves?” Gio asked.  
“Of course, I’ll be here if you have any questions. Gio walked over to the small hallway, Max following him into the master bedroom, which had an equally lovely view of the city.  
“So what do you think of this place?” Gio asked, sitting on the bed.  
Max walked around the room, looking into the ensuite bathroom quickly before turning back to Gio “So we’re house hunting?” He asked, finally able to form words.  
Gio laughed “I saw some places online and thought why not. We have the afternoon off and I thought it could be good to at least see some options, figure out what we like and what we don’t”  
They had talked about moving out of Gio’s old apartment a lot recently. They loved their apartment but it was just getting too small for what they needed it for. Max would just have never guessed that Gio had already been putting thought into it.  
“I mean it’s nice but, Chelsea? Really?”   
“I thought you liked Chelsea?” Gio questioned, seeming a little self-conscious, maybe he didn’t know what Max wanted in a home.  
“No no I do like Chelsea. It’s closer to where my old gigs were and we’re right near the Standard for Suzanne’s parties for you but-”  
“Buuuut?” Gio asked, wondering where this was going.  
“But you love Brooklyn”   
Gio sighed, a small smile on his lips. He stood up and rested his hand on Max’s chest. “I love New York and I love you and you love Manhattan”  
Max didn’t know how to respond. “Baby, I do love Manhattan but, I don’t know why, but Brooklyn feels like our home. I think we’d miss it” Looking up at him and putting a hand over Gio’s on his chest.  
“Well I do have 1 place in Brooklyn for us to look at” He said with a smirk. He had wanted it to be the final place they looked at today, hoping that it would have been enough to keep them in Brooklyn, which he was so relieved Max wanted to do as well.  
“Let’s go” Max took his hand, letting Gio lead the way, thanking the landlord in the other room on their way out.

They got back to Brooklyn and Gio took them to a building in Williamsburg, a few blocks back from the river. The realtor took them up to the apartment and Max’s jaw basically dropped to the floor the moment they walked through the door. The apartment hadn’t been dressed but that didn’t matter, the amount of space it offered had all the potential for any and everything they could want to do with it.  
“I just have to take a phone call out on the balcony, I’ll leave you two to look around, let me know if you need anything” He said before stepping out onto the balcony to take his call. The concept of even having a balcony was a lot for Max.  
“Is that a stair case?” Clearly it was but Max was just in shock. The space he was standing in right now was already so much bigger than their current apartment.  
“Yeah, double story, 2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooooms” Gio cooed, leaning against the bannister. Max’s eyes were wide.  
“Gio this is-”  
“Wait, you have to see the bedrooms” Gio took him by the hand and up the stairs to where 2 small bedrooms came off the landing. “I know these rooms are a little small but I was thinking we could do a combined drag closet in this room and then in this room” Pulling him across the landing. “We put makeup and wigs and our vanities” Max looked around the room, all the possibilities whirling through his head as he began to see what Gio was describing. “And then down stairs” He led him back down to the main living area and down a hallway, both of them peaking their head into the bathroom in the hall that was already bigger than their one back home. “How’s this for a master bedroom?” The bed room was so much bigger than their one back home where the bed was only 2 or 3 feet away from the door. The room was spacious, light, and there was a large window that had a view of the river and Manhattan in the distance. “Soooooo?” Gio spun around to face Max, a grinning smile on his face.  
“This is amazing” Max said, basically speechless “Can, can we afford this?” He couldn’t imagine how expensive this place could be. This was clearly the apartment that Gio wanted. Could he properly provide for him or would Gio always have to make compromises? Gio could tell by the way Max was biting on his lip that he was worried. He took Max’s hand.  
“I looked into it this morning and called our bank. We can afford it babe” Stepping closer and putting a hand around the back of Max’s head, playing with his hair. Max couldn’t believe that he had done so much research into this.   
“Can we go see the view from the balcony?” He asked, smiling at the idea that they could afford to rent this place.  
Gio nodded “It’s actually more of a patio” Max looked at him quizzically, making Gio chuckle. They went out to the patio where was realtor was standing, putting his phone in his pocket when they walked out. The patio was surprisingly large with enough room to put some outdoor furniture and even put out some plants for a small garden. Max was immediately drawn to the concrete railing and the amazing view in front of him.   
“So what do you think of the place?” The realtor asked Gio, who had decided to give Max some space while he took in the view.  
“I love it. I’m 99% sure he loves it too” Gio joked. “Can we just have a quick moment alone for a minute?”   
“Of course, I’ll be inside”  
Gio mouthed a thank you as the realtor went inside. He walked up behind Max so he stood behind him, his hands on Max’s hips. He rested his head on his shoulder, loving the way he relaxed into him.  
“Look over there” He said, turning Max slightly and pointing out a spot along the river in the near distance. “Do you remember when we stood by the river on our first date, right before we told Katelyn and Monet about us, and I told you our lives were going to change? And I said that one day we’d have the money to get a nicer place and that we could even give Aqua and Cracker their own room” Swaying them gently, nuzzling his head into Max’s neck and moving his arms around his waist. Max put his hands on Gio’s, holding them together as they rocked back and forth.  
“I remember” He replied with a smile.  
“It’s that day” He whispered squeezing him tight as Max chuckled.  
“It’s that day” Max turned his head and kissed Gio gently before turning back to the view. “I love this place”  
Gio’s heart was a flutter at Max loving this apartment, “We’ll call our land lord tomorrow and see what we can do”

By the time they had left the apartment it was close to 7pm, they had spent over an hour in there but it was worth it. Max decided that it was only right that they celebrate Gio’s getting the campaign he was wanted so bad, by taking him out to dinner. He didn’t even care that it definitely meant that they were having oysters. Early on in this relationship Max had learnt that he either liked oysters or would have to learn to like them if this relationship was going to work. In fact, Max had probably eaten more raw seafood since him and Gio got together than he had in his entire life. And yes, he had learnt to love it almost as much as Gio did. Max even sprung for good champagne for the occasion. Hunger satisfied and an extra spring in their step from the bubbles, they made their way home, the weight in Max’s stomach from yesterday night a faint memory. Gio had all but ripped Max’s clothes from his body the second they got home, not like Max was complaining, as they stumbled into their bedroom. 

Max’s body collapsed on the bed, Gio rolling off and crashing down next to him. They were both covered in a thin veil of sweat in the summer heat, panting hard.   
“Holy shit” Max said, breaking the sound of them both trying to catch their breath that filled the room. Both of them laughing, Gio turning back into Max’s body and kissing him slowly. Gio rested his head on Max’s chest, staring up at him fondly. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Max asked as Gio looked at him.  
“Do you want to be an actual daddy one day?” Max froze. It felt so out of the blue.  
“Are you trying to say I should I have pulled out?” Gio hit him lightly, trying not to laugh but failing to hold it back “Cos you know that’s not how it works right?”  
“I’m serious” He said through his giggles.  
“I, um, yeah maybe, I hadn’t really thought about it honestly” Still taken aback “Have, have you? You know, have you been thinking about it?” He rambled.  
“I don’t know, a little, recently. It’s just that, that when we were in that apartment today I was thinking about how, you know there are 3 bedrooms and maybe one day a little pair of feet would be running around on the wood floor and-” Max cut him off, kissing him tenderly, almost overcome with emotion as Gio kept talking. He rested his head against Gio’s forehead. “in the future of course” Gio said quickly, both of them laughing at how frantic he sounded to make that clear. Gio nestled in against Max, letting the older man hold him tight in the warm summer night air. “I never thought I’d be thinking about mortgages and kids at 22” Gio said, clearly an offhanded comment but it stuck with Max as he felt Gio relax against him. What 22-year-old would be thinking like that. Maybe he was making him grow up too fast. Maybe everything Sharon was worried about was valid. “So what did you and Sharon talk about anyway” He said, slightly sleepily. He should just tell him everything. He should tell him that no one believes in them and that Sharon doesn’t think them being together is a good idea. He should tell him that Sharon thinks one of them is going to have to take a back seat for this to work. He should tell him all of this. But he also knew that he shouldn’t.   
“Nothing much. Drag, life, you”  
“All good things I hope”  
“You are all the good things” He kissed the top of his head, thankful that Gio wasn’t looking up at him. “Goodnight baby. I love you”  
“I love you too” Gio was soon fast asleep but Max stayed there, awake and lightly stroking the bare skin of Gio’s back, feeling his breath under his hand and on the skin of his chest. They had 1 more free day together at home before going to Boston for a night and then not seeing each other for almost a month. He couldn’t tell him all the things that were brought up between him and Sharon. He couldn’t have those discussions. And he couldn’t let him see him hurting this bad again and then not see him for weeks. That would hurt Gio, and if he hurt him then he was just as bad for him as Sharon thought he would be.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a month apart, all the time spent in his own head gets too much for Max as they are reunited for the UK leg of the 10's Across the Board Tour where Gio easily sees through the facade he'd worked so hard to keep up

Max had just laid the tape on his forehead and put the first layer of glue into his brows when he heard Kameron storm into the venue down the hallway, frantically coming into the dressing room with makeup in one arm and her suitcase in the other hand, throwing it down on the floor next to a vacant station.  
“Hi, hello, how are you?” She haphazardly said to Max, Katelyn and Yuhua. None of them took any offence to how she was acting. It’s a known fact that it can take Kameron anywhere from 2-3 hours to get ready and they were just under 2 hours from the meet and greet starting. Gio, Asia and Kameron had been trying to get to Brighton from Australia for over 30 hours due to flight delays in Singapore. At one point they weren’t sure if they were going to make it to the gig at all.  
“Kameron will you calm down” Asia said, carting all her things into the room “Hey ladies” She said warmly to the room.  
“Hey Asia” The 3 of them replied. Asia giving Max and Yuhua a hug before she started setting up her makeup to start painting.  
Jordan came in next, looking a wreck. “Girl I’m about to crash on that couch I swear to fucking god” Falling dramatically on the sofa.  
“Stawecki you’re not even having to get on stage tonight” Max said, turning to look at him as he curled up into a ball.  
A pair of arms slinked around Max’s waist, making him jump a little. “Oh how tiring it is to travel the world for free” Gio said, his head on Max’s shoulder. He craned his head back, Gio kissing him so softly and gently that Max was thankful Gio had such a tight hold around him because he may have just melted in his arms. Max turned in his embrace, moving his hand so he was cradling Gio’s neck and jaw, both of them unable to say anything, just smiling. He reached up on his toes, throwing his arms around Gio’s shoulders, the two of them just holding each other, never wanting to let go. They hadn’t seen each other in almost a month and Gio thought he might just burst into the happiest tears, not caring that they were in a room full of people. Kameron, Asia and Yuhua smiled at each other in the mirrors or out the corner of their eye, all of them not wanting to intrude on the sweet moment. Kameron and Asia especially knew just how much they were missing each other. They had just done an Australian tour and every day Gio would make sure he could call Max and then when the 3 of them were talking, all Gio could talk about was how much he missed him and their future plans. If they didn’t love the two of them so much it would have been annoying. But they loved seeing Gio so loved up.  
Max leaned back for another kiss, letting go of Gio so he could quickly go say hi to Yuhua and Katelyn before setting up his space next to Max. “How you holding up?” Max asked they both got stuck into putting their faces on, little conversations happening in the room around them.   
“You know how it is, I’m exhausted and my back and neck hurt from being on planes for like a day and a half. I mean Kam can vouch for this but like we slept on the airport floor when our plane got cancelled, that does not do the body good” Max looked over sympathetically, noticing how Gio and had already caught up to him with their makeup. The time he saved by not having eyebrows still couldn’t tempt Max to shave his own off. Gio reached over and held Max’s hand “At least I had something to look forward to” Max lifted their hands, kissing the back of Gio’s, wishing they didn’t have to be getting into drag right now and could just catch up on the month that had passed. Gio couldn’t help himself as he got up and sat on Max’s lap to kiss him before they both had lipstick on.  
“Oh my god the two of you, I can’t” Kameron said putting down her eyeliner “How can I be over here tryin to do my eyes when the two of y’all are making me tear up with your cute asses”  
The girls all laughed as Kameron fanned her face.   
“Kam! Are you actually crying?” Gio got up, and gave her a hug. Asia taking her phone out to film as Kameron tried to dodge Gio trying to kiss her on the cheek.  
“You better stay away from this face Aqua I swear to god” Kameron said, playfully pushing him away as he poked out his tongue “Go mess up your man’s makeup!”   
“Oh you know I will” Gio said with a wink before going back to finish his face, noticing a smirk on Max’s face when he ran his hand across his bare shoulder as he sat down.

They were taken into the meet and greet one by one. Max and Gio were split up because the promoter knew they would have the biggest lines. “oooo trouble in paradise” They both heard someone in the M&G line say as they were taken to opposite ends of the room, each turning their head over their shoulders to exchange a quick confused glance in the direction of the comment. Max pushed it out of his mind, letting the meet and greet start and knowing that the fans deserved to have him at his best. Although there were a lot of queens that hated Meet and Greets, Max and Gio weren’t two of them. They loved meeting their fans, both of them always leaving half a suitcase empty for gifts they would be given on tour. The one thing Max was learning to hate however, was how people never realized how loud they were talking. He could hear people in the line for Kameron talking about him and Gio.   
“I don’t know I just don’t get how they’re a couple”  
“They don’t look like one”   
“I haven’t even seen a picture of them in weeks”  
That’s because we’ve been in different countries, Max thought, trying his best to ignore them. He looked over at Gio across the long room, who was getting lifted by a fan for a photo, without a care in the world. He could only hope that he wasn’t hearing people saying the same things. Max pushed it down, suppressing the thoughts that were beginning to crawl out from his subconscious again. This wasn’t the time; his fans didn’t deserve that from him. Katelyn had heard the comments too, looking over as if to ask if he was ok but then seeing him push it away. He hadn’t been himself over the past few weeks, Katelyn had been assuming that he was missing Gio, but recently she was feeling there was something more to it. The moment the meet and greet ended Max was taken back stage first, the promoter taking each queen past the fans individually to avoid some of the chaos. Max was getting changed when Gio and Jordan got back to the dressing room, arms full of fan gifts.  
“Do you need a hand with that babe?” Gio asked, seeing Max struggle with his zipper. Max nodded. Gio undid the zipper, his other hand on Max’s shoulder. He could tell something was wrong but knew that Max wouldn’t want to talk about it when everyone else was around. He rubbed his thumb over the small faded tattoo on Max’s shoulder, leaning in to leave a quick peck the back of his neck, careful to not to leave a lipstick mark.   
“Thanks baby” Max said turning to the mirror as he shimmied out of the dress. Not even the sweet gesture from Gio was able to completely take the thoughts from his mind. They all got ready for their first numbers. Asia, Kameron and Gio getting into their boxing number looks, knowing they were opening the show. Max was up right after the opening number. Gio gave him a quick kiss side of stage as Miz Cracker was introduced. He stayed while Kameron and Asia went back to the dressing room, waiting to see the moment Cracker would turn on and the Max that was clearly in his head would disappear for at least the number. Max hadn’t even let go of Gio until he gave his hand one last squeeze before taking a deep breath and stepping out. Gio went back to the dressing room, trying to figure out what was going on.   
“You ok Aqua?” Asia asked, seeing the expression on Gio’s face as he handed the red robe over to Jordan, who went to get the next look from the suitcase.  
“Is Max ok?” He sort of blurted out. They all turned to him. “I mean like since the meet and greet he’s been acting sort of upset right?” The other queens all looked at each other, none of them having noticed anything, hoping someone else had.  
“It might have been something that was said by some fans in the Meet and Greet but I mean Cracker’s been a little off for a while now if I’m being honest” Katelyn said, Gio instantly snapping his head in her direction.  
“What do you mean?” He said, unaware that there was an issue before. Katelyn looked around, not wanting to have this conversation in front of everyone else.  
“Come with me” She said, passing him and going into the hallway, Gio followed so closely behind that Katelyn was sure he’d step on her heels.  
“So what happened at the meet and greet?” He asked, waiting for Yuhua to go down the hall to wait side stage for the end of Max’s number.  
“Some fans were talking about how the two of you “didn’t look like a couple” and about you two not posting about each other in the past few weeks-”  
“We haven’t seen each other in almost a month” He cut her off, not mad at her but mad about the situation.  
She put a hand on his shoulder “I know” Trying to make sure his voice didn’t get any louder. “I don’t think that’s the only thing that’s bothering him” Gio just froze. Unsure of what she could be meaning. “I mean if he was just upset right now then I would think it was, but he’s been…off, for the past few weeks. Not all the time but at least once every day or two he’s just been shutting down. And he’s clearly done it again tonight”  
They heard Max’s track end down the hallway. “Shit” Gio said, realizing that they didn’t have much time before he would get off the stage. “Have you asked him what’s going on?”  
Katelyn raised an eyebrow “You don’t think I’ve already tried just asking him? I’ve asked and he just says that he’s fine. And we both know that when Max says he’s fine in THAT voice-”  
“He’s not fine” Gio finished her sentence. Both of them nodding and sighing, knowing that voice all too well. “Ok” Gio said, taking control of the situation. “We just need to not crowd him too much right now and I’ll talk to him at the hotel”  
Katelyn smiled, he knew him too well “He’ll talk to you. He opens up to you more than he will even open up to me” Gio gave her a soft smile, hoping that that wasn’t taking a toll on Katelyn given how close her and Max were.  
He gave her a hug as he noticed the corners of her mouth turning down. “You’re still his best friend. I’m happy he has you” He said softly as they hugged.  
“What’s going on here” Max said, coming down the hallway, still on a bit of an adrenaline kick from the performance.  
“You’re not the only one who missed him” She said with a smile, leaning her head against Gio’s arm.  
“And boy have I missed him” Max said with a gentle adoring smile. Gio stepped over to him, holding his face as he kissed him gently.  
Asia opened the dressing room door to make her way to the side of the stage.   
“Oh, sorry ladies” She said, almost bumping into the two of them.  
“Break a leg” the 3 of them said in unison as she put on her earring. She laughed a quick thank you before going up the stairs.   
“Aquaria” Jordan said, popping his head out of the dressing room door. “You planning on getting dressed?”   
“Shit” All of them said, hearing Yuhua’s set end and rushing Gio into the dressing room to get changed.

The rest of the night ran smoothly, Katelyn and Gio just avoided asking Max if he was ok and just pretended that nothing was up. Asia, Kameron and Aquaria were the closing number so Cracker and Yuhua came on at the end of their set for the final farewell to the crowd. Both Gio and Max blushing when the crowd erupted into chants for them to kiss. Max crossed the stage, catching up to Gio as they were all walking off and taking his hand, walking off together. They were all giddy about the idea of getting to end the night and go back to the hotel before having a day of traveling on the tour bus. Max even got out of Drag at the venue so he could really take advantage of the time off that they had. In the car back to the hotel however, Max’s mood dipped again, looking out the window as he turned off his phone. Gio took his hand, not wanting to draw attention but wanting him to know he was there for him, and didn’t let go until they got back to the hotel room.  
“Max” Gio said, barely over a whisper as Max put their suitcases in the far corner of the room “Are you ok? Genuinely, are you ok?” Max froze, of course he would see right through the façade he had built up.  
He turned, almost unable to look at Gio, they had barely gotten to spend any time together and he had already made him worry about him. “Do you know what people say about us? About me and you together?”  
“Is this about what happened at the meet and greet?” Gio said, stepping forward but not to close as to not crowd him.  
“How do you know-”  
“Katelyn told me” Cutting him off “And she also told me that it seems like there’s been something up for the past few weeks”  
He knew Katelyn was worried about him. She had brought it up a few times but he didn’t realize that it was enough for her to bring it up to Gio. “It’s not about the meet and greet, I mean it is but it isn’t, it was just, they were saying these things and I can’t stop thinking about everything that people have been saying” He was rambling but Gio was following along, still confused.  
“If it’s not about the meet and greet then-”  
“Oh come on, there’s no way you haven’t seen it” He looked at Gio with tears in his eyes “I mean all I’m trying to do is make my fans feel seen but every time I go into my mentions to like people’s photos all I see is how people don’t think we’re a couple, or think that I don’t care about you, or how you could do better, which you could!” He was getting more and more worked up “I mean did you see what people were saying after you got booed the last time you were here? People literally started blaming me! They were saying “Aquaria didn’t used to go off before her and Cracker got together” “Aquaria’s always popping off cos she’s clearly not happy at home” “Cracker’s a bad influence on Aquaria” No one giving a shit about the bullshit you were standing up against, just trying to find a way to bring us down. Does that not bother you?!”   
Gio was a little taken aback, clearly this was building up in Max for a while. “Of course it bothers me. It takes everything in me not to clap back at all of them them, I’m so mad when I see those comments but I’m trying to not give those people the time of day. I just block them”  
“Blocking them doesn’t mean I didn’t see the comment. People don’t think I’m good for you Gio and maybe they’re right. I mean look what I’ve done to you today. You’ve spent the night worried about me. You should be out with Kameron and Jordan trying to pick up some random guy, enjoying yourself. Instead; because you’re engaged to a mess, you’re here after spending 2 days travelling, probably exhausted, trying to understand why I can’t stop worrying that I’m just as bad for you as everyone says I am”   
Gio stepped forward towards Max, who tensed under his touch as he put a hand on his arm. “Babe no one thinks that”  
“Yes they do Gio and I’m believing them” The tears beginning to pour down his face.  
“Max would you just listen to me. I’m telling you that that’s not true. Seeing you listen to these fucking trolls online is breaking my heart to watch this get to you”   
“And I’m telling you that you’re not getting where I’m coming from and I don’t want to be having this discussion because knowing that I’m breaking your heart is just proving their point” He looked away from Gio trying to wipe the tears from his face but they wouldn’t stop.  
“So you’re going to listen to pathetic hatful people on Twitter instead of your fiancé?” Max’s face fell further, Gio previously thinking that there was no way he could look more upset “No one who knows us or care about us think that”  
“Really? How about you ask your mother” He said stepping away from Gio’s touch and towards the bathroom door, unable to look at him. If he had, he would have seen how baffled Gio was at his cryptic statements.  
“Max what are talking about! She loves you! I think my mom likes you more than she likes me most of the time” Not realizing how upset his voice was until it broke.  
“I never said your mom. I said your mother” He said bitterly as he opened the bathroom door while it clicked for Gio.  
“Max” He stepped forward, Max putting his hands up to stop him coming closer.   
“No Gio, I just, I just need to be alone” He said through the tears “You don’t deserve to deal with this” He whispered as he closed the door.   
Gio looked around the room. What had just happened. It was clear now that this wasn’t a recent issue for Max. It was an issue for a month. A month of Max being in his head, breaking himself down, going through this alone. Gio picked up his phone, not caring what time it was in the US.  
“Hello?” A sleepy Sharon said into phone.  
“What did you say to him?” Gio said bluntly and fairly aggressively too.  
“What?” She said, still half asleep.  
“What. Did. You. Say. To. Him” If he could clap he would have, not caring that Max could definitely hear him through the thin wall.  
“To who?”  
“TO MAX. Remember Max. My fiancé”  
“Giovanni calm down. I haven’t spoken to Max since our gig in Pittsburgh”  
“And what did you say to him then.”   
It didn’t take long for Sharon to realize that Max hadn’t spoken to Gio about their conversation that night. “I assumed that he would have told you”  
“Told. Me. What?”  
“Look kiddo, I fucked up”  
“Sharon, what did you do?” Gio asked, wishing people would stop being so cryptic and just get to the point.  
“When Max came over to my place we had a chat about the two of you…and how a few of us are concerned about how realistic a long term relationship between the two of you is given your schedules and how you two wouldn’t get to be around each other much. Clearly he loves you but I didn’t know just how much straight off the bat and I wanted him to know that there’s a high chance that your schedules may never line up and that’s going to put a strain on your relationship” Sharon spilled rapidly, sensing that shit may have hit the fan because of their conversation. “You’re so young and I was just worried that things were moving too fast, I mean the two of you already live together and are planning a future. I was, and kind of am, worried about what a normal future for you two is going to look like. Do you know how hard that is going to be on the both of you if you even try and have a normal life while being together?”  
“You don’t think I know that!? You don’t think we know that!?”  
“I just want to make sure you don’t end up heartbroken from this relationship” Sharon didn’t know it but it was all beginning to piece together for Gio. Everything Max had been talking about was now making sense. He could see where he was coming from. He could see what was plaguing his mind.  
“Sharon” He said as a sigh “Why didn’t you talk to me about this before bringing it up to him”  
“I didn’t want to make you worried”  
“Well I’m worried about it because it’s been eating away at him for a month now and I didn’t know”  
“I’m sorry darling, I knew the moment it came out of my mouth that it was a mistake. I’m really really sorry. I thought me and Max had made up by the end of it”  
Gio sighed. Of course Max was able to fool Sharon into thinking he was ok. Max didn’t ever want to burden people, even if it ended up hurting him.  
“Sharon I love you, and I know you’re going to be there for me if I need you but I need you to trust me. You’ve known me since I was 14, and you’ve always told me to trust my gut and I’ve never felt so strongly about something”  
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I hope it hasn’t caused too much of a mess”  
“It’s ok. You’re just looking out for me. I need to go back to Max now” After a quick exchange of goodbyes Gio pressed his ear against the door, hearing Max still sniffling on the other side. He knocked. “Babe? Is it ok if I come in?” He didn’t get a response, only an increase in the sniffling and whimpering. “Max I’m coming in” He opened the door slowly, only to see Max curled up in the corner of the empty bathtub with tears leaving dark spots on his shirt. Gio looked at him sympathetically, his heart hurting to see him like this.  
“God I bet you never thought it would be like this when we got together” Max said, his voice stuttering after all the crying.   
That gave Gio an idea. “Wait here”  
“Not like I’m going anywhere” He said, ashamed that he had gotten to this point. Ashamed of himself for making Gio have to deal with this.  
“And neither am I” He said from the doorway, Max freezing as his words hit him like a comforting wave. Even like this Gio wasn’t leaving him. He felt like he didn’t deserve him. Gio came back with arms full of blankets and pillows from the bed.  
“What are you doing?” Max asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.  
“Showing you what I signed up for” Max moved to the other side of the tub as Gio put the pillows against 1 end and folding the thick duvet, laying it down in the bath. He got in, leaning against the pillows. “When we were filming, we sat in our bathtubs just like this, every weekend, talking through a wall. I fell for you through a fucking wall Max. You told me all these things you thought I should be worried about and I told you I didn’t care. And I still don’t. I signed up to be on the other side of the wall, with you, even if that wall keeps going up in your head. Everything else that we have to deal with are just part of getting to be together. Even when it feels like all of this is too much” As Gio spoke, Max felt the tears coming back. But this time, instead of recoiling away, he moved towards him. Gio made room next to him for Max to lay down. The moment he was in his arm, Gio held him tight, letting Max just sob against him. He had bottled up so much that it became impossible for him to contain. Gio knew he had to get it out, rubbing his arm and back, kissing his head and whispering “It’s ok” over and over again until the sobbing began to stop.  
“I’m so sorry Gio” He sobbed, his breathing almost hysterical. “I just, I couldn’t take the idea that I was hurting you”  
Giovanni wiped the tears from Max’s cheek, his hand lingering on his jaw as Max leaned into him, a sense of calm returning to his rapid stilted breath. “It’s ok. You haven’t hurt me” Gio let his body relax, as he held Max in his arms.   
“I’m sorry about not telling you about what me and Sharon spoke about” He said into his chest. “I was going to tell you but then you got that campaign and you were so happy, I just didn’t want to bring you down. I didn’t want you to feel as bad as I did. And then Sharon was talking about how you were having to grow up so fast because we were together and I just freaked out. I mean I hadn’t thought about it but then I came home and we went house hunting and then you asked me if I wanted to be a dad” He paused “I mean I want the house and the family and the future with you and I almost cried thinking about how you wanted the same things-” He rambled, a smile on his face as he recounted everything they had spoken about.  
“Buuuuut?” Gio interjected.  
Max grimaced, reliving how his mind had taken over his happiness before “But then what Sharon said about me making you not be able to live a normal 22 year old life wouldn’t leave my brain. And then all the comments. I couldn’t not think about it. And I thought about it all the time”  
Gio looked at him, letting out a sigh as his mouth turned into a sympathetic smile. He held his hand, squeezing gently.  
“Babe I don’t have a normal 22 year old’s life and I don’t want one” Max looked up at him, his lips quivering ever so slightly after all the crying. “You know me. I’m someone who knows what he wants. I wanted to move to New York at 17, so I did. I wanted to win Drag Race, so I did. I wanted you, and so I did everything I could to get you. I want a life with you, and we’re making that, together” He put his hand on the side of Max’s face, Max doing the same to him. “Don’t you dare think I’d let you go for giving me the life I want” Leaning in with a smile, resting their foreheads against one another.  
“I am so in love with you” Max whispered, lips parted in awe as he shook his head ever so slightly, still amazed that you could love someone as much as he loved him. Gio pulled back with a smile, seeing his Max back again, before leaning in and kissing him tenderly.  
“I love you too” He whispered in the space between them, pulling him in tight. “Can we get out of this bath now?” He said jokingly tentative, Max giggling in his arms.  
“Why is it that we always end up in bathtubs?” Max said, kissing Gio on the forehead.  
“It wouldn’t be so bad if we had face masks and a bath bomb…and water” Gio said as Max, laughing, stretched out his hand to help him out of the tub. The both of them sighing at the now unmade bed.  
“I’ll remake it” Max conceded, picking up the duvet and the pillows. “it’s the least I can do” Craning his head up to meet his kiss as he carried the linen out of the bathroom. Gio undressed as he watched Max make the bed, thinking back to all the times he’d watched him make their bed back home. It had been over a month since they had been home together. It would be another few weeks before they would both get 3 days back in New York together, Max not even caring that he would be spending so many more hours on planes just to get those few days before Gio started on the Werq the World tour. Max stripped down to his underwear and collapsed down on the bed. “A breakdown really takes it out of you”   
“So does 38hours of travel from Australia” Gio laughed, getting on the bed and straddling Max’s lap, relaxing with a sigh and his hands on Max’s shoulder’s. Max ran his hands up and down Gio’s hips, thighs and over his waist.  
“I’ve missed just being able to touch you” Max said, looking up at him with a smile, reaching up “This is gonna take some getting used to” rubbing Gio’s newly buzzed hair, causing the young man to blush.  
“At least it’s better than it was after the first haircut” He whined, still regretting the cut even after buzzing it off.  
Max chuckled “Not going to lie it was definitely a choice”  
Gio laughed but paused briefly “Do you, do you like it?” The usually confident Gio now visibly insecure about his appearance.  
“Oh baby yes I like it” Max said, hating to see him worried about his looks for even a second. “You’re still the sexiest guy in the world. To me and a lot of people, but most importantly to me” Gio’s pout turning into a smile.  
“What about this?” He replied as he ran his fingers through Max’s newly shorter hair, leaning in as Max wrapped his arms around his waist. “I’m loving this” Max rolled his eyes but smiled none the less, never the one to take a compliment.   
“And I am loving this” He said with a smirk as his thumbs hooked under the sides of Gio’s underwear. “Since when did you start casually wearing a thong?”  
“You mad about it?” Gio smirked back, leaning further into him as Max’s hands moved down to his ass.  
“Not in the slightest” He said slowly as he grabbed at his flesh, a little moan from Gio before he craned his neck to kiss him, grinding his hips gently. He leaned his head back, letting Max kiss his neck, a feeling he had missed so much in the past month, holding his head in place as he rocked more and more as Max got harder underneath him.  
“Did you bring -”   
“It’s been a month” Max cut him off “Of course I came prepared” Smiling as Gio ran a hand down his torso.  
“Top pocket of your suitcase?” A excited Gio said as he got up and opened Max’s suitcase, taking out the bottle of lube and tossing it to Max.  
“Am I getting that predictable?” Max laughed as Gio jumped back on top of him, frantically kissing him. Both of them getting so lost in the pure feeling of bliss that time became irrelevant. After so long apart they took their time, rediscovering each other’s bodies, losing themselves to the heat of the moment.

Max rubbed circles on the breathless Gio’s chest as he held himself up on one elbow while Gio caught his breath. He reached up, taking Max’s face in his hands and pulling him into a kiss. “oh, ready for a second round that fast?” Max whispered against Gio’s kiss.  
“And a third and a fourth” He playfully said as he trailed kisses down his jaw and neck, making Max giggled “I don’t care, I just don’t want you to let go of me all night”  
He put his hand on the side of Gio’s face, cherishing the feeling of Gio leaning into his touch. “I don’t want to let go of you all week” Gio cuddled even closer to him, their legs intertwining and Gio’s hand on Max’s chest.   
“I’ve missed you so much” He said, looking into Max’s eyes and running his hands over his body, not able to get enough after so long.  
“I’ve missed you too baby” Rubbing his waist “I never want a month without you ever again” Gio nestled his head against his chest, Max kissing the top of his head repeatedly as Gio hummed in agreement. A month apart had been difficult, even with their almost constant communication. “At least we don’t have to do that again for a while”   
Gio lifted his head, leaving the most gentle kiss on Max’s lips. “I love you”  
“I love you too” He said, bringing their lips back together, both of them smiling as their lips parted. Max leant over to check the time as Gio let out a yawn. “It’s after 3am baby. No wonder you’re exhausted”  
Gio was about to say something but was beaten to it by another yawn. He nodded in defeat to the over 48 hours since he got any good sleep. Max kissed his forehead as Gio turned over in his arms, aligning their bodies as they got comfortable. “Goodnight baby” He said, kissing his shoulder, seeing Gio smile out of the corner of his eye.  
“Goodnight babe” Gio whispered, moments later sound asleep, lightly snoring in Max’s arms for the first time in far too long.

They walked out of the hotel hand in hand the next afternoon to everyone standing outside the bus waiting for them.  
“You two took long enough” Asia said with a knowing smile at the two of them.  
“We slept in” Max said with a shrug.  
Kameron chuckled a little “It’s like after 2 in the afternoon” They all knew what was going on but they still loved teasing them about it.  
“Yeah we went to bed late and we got up after 12” Gio blushed swinging Max’s hand.  
“It takes you 2 hours to get down to the tour bus” Asia wiggled her eyebrows at them.  
Jordan walked past with the suitcases “It does when you spend an hour in the shower” He said, all eyes turning to him “what? The sound of their shower was real loud in my room. And other sounds. For hours” He said dryly as the others burst into laughter around them while the bus was loaded with their suitcases.   
Gio let go of Max’s hand to lunge and hit Jordan’s arm “Oh my god”  
“Not the first time I heard you say that today” He paused as Gio raised a hand to hit him again if he said anything else “or the 50th” Jordan laughed as Gio grabbed him, the two of them wrestling like children in front of the cackling group of queens and tour crew. Gio and Jordan were laughing so hard that they ended up on the pavement in a little pile before helping each other up  
Max sighed with a smile on his face. “Sorry that I last longer than 10 minutes” He winked at Jordan as he stepped onto the bus, putting out his hand out to Gio as Asia, Yuhua and Kameron hollered, all of them piling into the bus for the 3-and-a-half-hour drive.  
They spent the entire drive cuddled up together on the couch under the pink blanket that Max had been traveling with for the past month. Neither of them knew the pink blanket would be such a thing for the Miz Cracker brand when Gio picked it up at a random little store one day while shopping in New York but Max had embraced it. He had sprayed it with Gio’s cologne right before he left the apartment a month ago, the scent lasting for 2 weeks at the most, but it was a comforting addition to those 2 weeks. As they sat amongst the group, Gio sitting between Max’s leg as he reclined on his chest, Max rested his head on Gio’s shoulder. Gio would turn his head every now and again to give Max a quick kiss, which got an eye roll from Jordan and a coo from Kameron every time.   
“One day someone will look at you like that too Kam” Asia said, patting Kameron’s knee.  
“Like what?” Gio asked, turning his head to the side like a confused puppy.  
Kameron smiled at them “Like he’s the only thing that matters in the world”  
Gio turned his head to the smiling Max, they both knew the look, it was the only way they looked at each other. He kissed him quickly, chuckling as Max squeezed him gently, nestling his head into Gio’s shoulder.  
“What are you shaking your head at?” Max asked Jordan.  
“I just” Pausing with a sigh “You guys are so cliché that I can’t help but shake my head. I love you guys but it’s sickeningly sweet”  
Yuhua got up passing Jordan on her way to the back of the bus. “It’s ok Jordan, someday you’ll fall in love and we’ll make fun of you too” Everyone chuckled, the conversation turning to the show tonight and people’s upcoming schedules. Max kissed Gio’s cheek, thinking how perfect being on tour together really was.

After 3 nights and 2 more shows they landed in Dublin, Gio taking the pink blanket that had been wrapped around the two of them for the flight and draping it over his shoulders. The moment they got into the van to the hotel he was out cold again on Max’s shoulder.   
“I’ve never seen someone be able to fall asleep as fast as Aquaria” Kameron said turning and noticing a sleeping Gio, who moved in his sleep to put a hand on Max’s opposite shoulder, hanging onto him even though they were sitting next to each other. “Ok now that’s adorable”   
“That looks uncomfortable” Yuhua interjected, the van cracking up as Max stifled his laughter as to not wake Gio up, sharing a glance with a smiling Katelyn.  
When they got out of the van Kameron and Jordan grabbed Gio  
“Cracker we’re stealing Aquaria to go shopping and you can’t stop us” They said in unison. Gio, who had just woken up was understandably confused.  
“Yeah you’ve been attached at the hip, I’m stealing my best friend for a couple of hours” Jordan said, still clinging to Gio’s arm.  
“Go for it. I was going to get into drag and head out for lunch with Katelyn and look around the city” Max said with a smile, seeing Kameron and Jordan’s excitement.  
“Yeah I was just going to take a nap buuuuut I could use some shopping” Gio smirked at the two of them. “Meet you two in the lobby in 10?” They all nodded, taking their suitcases up to their hotel rooms. Max started laying out his makeup to get ready.  
“You know” Gio said, pulling a clean shirt over his head and turning Max around to hold his hands “We don’t have to start getting ready for another 4 hours. I could just ditch the others and stay heeeere” Pulling him onto the bed on top of him. Max ran his hand down Gio’s side, the younger man’s back arching off the bed under his touch.  
“I wish we could, but I promised Katelyn we’d check out the city” He said, kissing Gio’s jaw before rolling off him and going back to gluing his brows. “Plus, I think Jordan’s missing his best friend”   
Gio sighed, sitting up and grabbing his wallet. Pausing with a cocky smirk as he watched Max do his makeup “You know it would be a lot faster if you just-”  
“I’m not shaving off my eyebrows” Side eyeing him with a smile in the mirror.   
“I’ll see you soon babe” Gio walked over and kissed him on the cheek. “Love you”  
“Love you too” Watching as he opened the door. “Miss you already” Gio blew him a kiss before heading down to the lobby where Jordan, Kameron, and the tours promoter were waiting, sprawled out on the hotel’s couches.  
“Oh my god we didn’t lose you to your most primal needs for once” Jordan said in pretend shock.  
“Oh shut up” He said, ruffling Jordan’s hair. He knew how much he hated that.  
“Food?” Kameron asked as they walked out of the hotel.  
“Food” him and Jordan said at the same time. They smiled at each other. Even with Max and Gio being together whenever they could, nothing would ever minimize their bond as friends.

No matter how many designer items Gio had or had been given, he still wasn’t used to how casually he could buy things now that he was getting actual good pay for his work. They were walking through a shopping mall, Kameron and Gio swinging their shopping bags as they walked, an extra post purchase spring in their step.  
“Oh girl I needed this” Kameron said, smiling like a proud cat, slowing down to Gio’s pace. They looked back to make sure they still had Jordan.  
“I swear one day he’s gonna look up from his phone and then I’m going to be the one looking for his lost ass in a random city”   
“You know I can hear you right?” Jordan called out.  
“Good” They laughed  
“Aqua” Kameron said, getting Gio’s attention. He turned seeing the game store Kameron was wiggling her eyebrows over.  
“Fuck yeah”  
They were going around the store comparing the games they had and the ones they didn’t. The mutual love of games was definitely a bonding thing for the two of them, especially on tour. They were just leaving the store when their promoter got a phone call, the kind of call where you could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong. “Um Aquaria” He started but was cut off by Gio’s phone ringing, Max’s face lighting up the screen “You should answer that” Gio answered the phone, his face going completely white in a matter of seconds, freezing in his tracks. Jordan knew something was very wrong by the panicked look in Gio’s eye.  
“G?” He said quietly, as Gio walked off to the side to take the call. Jordan and Kameron were still, looking at each other, not sure what was happening or what they should do. A few moments later Gio came back, a look of fear and confusion on his face. “G are you ok?” Jordan said timidly, putting a hand on Gio’s arm, not quite sure what the situation was but knowing it was bad.  
“Max and Katelyn just got mugged”

They rushed back to the hotel. Jordan and Kameron had to stop Gio from running to the police station, knowing that Katelyn and Max just had to get the information to the cops if they wanted any hope in getting anything back. They took him back to his and Max’s hotel room. Kameron told the other queens what had happened, Asia coming with Kameron to wait in the foyer. Jordan sat with Gio, who was still in shock, as they waited for Katelyn and Max to return. Tears were welling in his eyes as Jordan put an arm around him, patting his back, having never seen him like this before. There was a sigh of relief for Kameron as Max and Katelyn entered the hotel, the promoter who had gone to pick them up going to park the black car they had just exited.  
“Are you two ok?” Kameron and Asia asked, giving both of them a much needed hug. Katelyn was in a far worse state than Max was. Her tear stained face was puffy and her eyes were red  
“We’re ok. Where’s Gio” Max said, looking around the lobby.   
“He’s up in your room, Jordan’s with him” Max nodded, Asia taking Katelyn to make sure she was ok. Max opened the door to the hotel room, barely even stepping into the room before he was in Gio’s tight embrace. All Gio had been holding back since getting the call from Max instantly came out as he had his arms around Max’s shoulders, starting to sob, dark patches appearing on his shirt. Max encircled his waist squeezing him tight, not caring about how much Gio might have just messed up his wig as the tears beginning to fall from his eyes too. He had managed not to cry so far, knowing he had to be strong for Katelyn in the moment.  
“Oh my god are you ok?” Gio said through the tears, holding Max’s face, kissing him all over and looking into his eyes.  
“I’m ok, really I’m ok” Max said, trying to reassure him even though his face was now a mess of running eyeliner and tear streaked foundation.  
“What happened? Are you alright? Are you hurt? What did they take? I should have come with you” He said breaking down further into an almost inconsolable mess.  
“woah woah woah” Max walked Gio back, sitting him on the bed and kneeling on the floor in front of him. “Gio, hey, baby look at me” He put his hands on the side of his face making him look him in the eye “I’m ok. He ran past and grabbed our bags. He only got money, cards and ID. The money’s whatever, I called and had the cards dealt with and I have my Passport for ID. I’m ok baby, I’m here and I’m ok” He stood up and sat on the bed next to him, Gio pulling him in close.  
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if something worse happened to you” He said into Max’s shoulder, the older queen rubbing his back.  
“But it didn’t”  
“But what if it did?” He said sitting back, his eyes red from the crying “What if something really bad happened and I wasn’t there and I didn’t know you were hurt?”  
Max didn’t know how to respond. Gio was so upset and he didn’t know how to reassure him right now.  
“G you’re not going to be there all the time and things like this happen” Jordan spoke up for the first time since Max had entered the room. He crouched down next to Gio, putting a hand on his knee. “Don’t think about the worst way it could have gone. He’s here, that’s what matters” Gio took a deep breath, closing his eyes as the two of them tried to calm him down. Max and Jordan locked eyes.  
“Thank you” Max mouthed given how amazing Jordan had just handled the situation. Jordan just smiled in a reply.   
“I’m going to go organize the merch for tonight ok?” Jordan said, getting Gio’s attention again. Gio nodded as wiped the tears from his cheeks, getting up to splash some water on his face. Waiting till Gio was in the bathroom, Jordan pulled Max into a hug. “Thank god you’re ok” He said, quiet enough for Gio not to hear.  
“Thank you for taking care of him” And he meant it, so happy that Jordan was around to make sure he was ok. Max saw him out before going to Gio in the bathroom. They each had a sympathetic smile at one another before stepping into each other’s embrace.  
“I’m sorry for freaking out. We should be focusing on you not me” Gio said into Max’s shoulder.  
“Don’t be sorry. Are you ok?” He said, putting his hand on the side of Gio’s face.  
He took a deep stuttering breath as he took Max by the hand and back to the main room. They didn’t need 2 occasions of them crying in a bathroom on this tour “I was just so scared” Holding Max’s hand in his lap “I didn’t know if you were actually hurt, if they had threatened you, I just didn’t know. I felt helpless because I wasn’t there to help you” Turning to face Max as he sat up against the headboard, still in full drag.  
“Like I said, I’m perfectly fine, just a little shaken” Max rubbed circles on the back of Gio’s hand. Gio leant in and kissed him delicately, as if he was scared he would disappear. That tentativeness didn’t last long as their kiss became deeper and more passionate, Max pulling Gio onto his lap to deepen their kiss, both of their faces covered in a smearing of Miz Cracker’s nude lipstick. Before they knew it there was a knock at the door and Jordan calling out to tell them to be in the lobby in 15 minutes. They laughed, looking at the makeup mess that they were; lipstick smeared mouths, Max’s eyeliner running down his cheek, Gio’s eyebrows all but gone.  
“Fuck it, I’m just gonna take this all off and start again at the gig” Max said, admitting defeat to the mess of his makeup. Both of them got up, Gio throwing Max a packet of makeup wipes. “Baby can you help me out of this” He said, Gio quickly undoing his corset and getting him a pair of sweatpants and a shirt while he took all the body off.  
“You know I think that’s the first time I’ve actually made out with Miz Cracker” Gio giggled, the most beautiful sound to Max’s ears given how upset he was only 30 minutes before.  
“You all good to go now?” Max asked.  
“Yeah I’ve got all my stuff right here-”  
“You know what I mean” He said knowingly.  
Gio took a deep breath. “Yeah I’m ok now” he paused as he picked up the handle of his suitcase “But don’t you dare think I’m going to take an eye off you all night” He said in the door way.  
“I know I never do” He said softly as he closed the hotel room door, holding Gio’s hand as they made their way to the lobby. Gio lifted their hands to kiss the back of Max’s as they stood in the elevator. At least they had each other in these moments. It made it easier to know they had gotten through it. Together.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Gio's health declining on the Werq the World tour and him refusing to go see a doctor, Max sits in a hotel room on the other side of the country trying to figure out the best thing to do.
> 
> Enjoy this little chapter xx - Betty   
> P.S Happy New Year everyone!

Max put his wig back on its stand in his hotel room as the phone continued to ring, Katelyn sitting on one of the beds behind him, exhausted and looking forward to her day off tomorrow. The phone continued to ring as Max took off his makeup, making him think that the call was going to be sent to voicemail right when Kameron answered the call.  
“Hey Cracker!” Kameron said, her face coming up on the screen.  
“Oh hey Kam, is Gio still on stage?” He said, confused as to why Kameron was answering Gio’s phone.  
“Ummmm I think Violet and Bob are bringing her back now. I’m pretty sure I can hear Bob from down the hall”  
“I’m not surprised” Max laughed as Kameron took off her wig, before processing what had just been said “Wait what do you mean by they’re “bringing her back”?”   
“AQUARIA!” Bob’s voice rang out, Kameron and Max exchanging a look but being silent to hear what was going on.  
“Bob, I’m fine” Gio said in the distance.  
“You know Cracker will kill me if you don’t let me help you” Bob said, making Max’s eyebrow shoot up.  
Violet came into the dressing room behind Kameron, an arm around Gio’s waist. “I got her Bob”  
“This is ridiculous” Gio said, frustration heavy in his voice as he limped into the room.  
Bob followed them in closely behind, getting Gio a chair to put his leg up on.  
“Uhhhh Aqua” Kameron said tentatively “Cracker’s on the phone for you” Gio turned to Kameron, noticing Max on the phone on the vanity. He sighed, knowing Max had probably just seen all of that. He looked over at Violet who gave him a small sympathetic smile, taking the phone from Kameron and passing it to him so he didn’t have to get up.  
“Hey babe” He said, taking the phone from Violet as one of the Voss Events team members came in with some ice.  
“That ankle still hurting you?” Max asked. Gio’s ankle had begun hurting a few days before but it hadn’t hurt as much as it did right now. He was thankful for Violet who was standing next to him and basically caught him when his ankle gave out, for the second time that week, right after they took their final step off the stage.   
“Girl this shoe was a bad idea” Bob said, gently sliding the thin heeled shoe off Gio’s foot, him wincing just enough that he thought Max and Bob wouldn’t notice. They noticed.  
“Baby have you seen a doctor about this. It’s been giving you grief all week and I can’t imagine performing on it every night can be that good for it” Max said, concerned that he was pushing himself too far with this tour.  
“She’s fine” a stern voice from one of the Voss crew members who were icing Gio’s foot said in response to Max. The sound of Gio coughing filling the silence.  
“Okaaaaay” Max said tentatively, not expecting that response from the people who should have had Gio’s best interests in mind. “And what about that cough? That infection can’t be making anything easier”  
“She’s fine” The same crew member said.   
“I wasn’t asking you” Max replied bitterly at the rude interruption.  
“Babe I’ll be ok” Gio said, trying to stop them from escalating the situation any further. “I’m on my medication and I no longer have a crazy fever and the cough is almost gone. I just need to rest my foot for a while”  
Max wanted to take care of him. To convince him to take a few days off. To heal. To rest. He looked exhausted. But he didn’t want to baby him.   
“Ok I’ll take your word for it. Just don’t push yourself too far okay”  
Gio smiled, he loved how much Max cared. “I won’t, I promise” He winked, bringing a smile to Max’s face “I’m just going to get changed, do you mind if I call you back when I get back to the bus?” They said their brief goodbyes, an uncertain feeling in the pit of Max’s stomach as Gio’s face left his screen, followed by a long sigh. Gio had been so excited about this tour, but he hadn’t taken any time to really rest since his win and it was beginning to take a physical toll on him. He tried his best to put it out of his mind as he got up and went to wash his face and take a quick shower, but it didn’t work. He had just walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, to get his clothes when his phone started to ring.  
“Bob?” He said, bringing the phone to his ear, holding it there with his shoulder as one hand held his boxers and shirt and the other hanging onto the towel to make sure it didn’t slip as he went back into the bathroom.   
“Hey Cracker” He said tentatively.   
Max paused “Oh god what?” He said, putting the phone down on the basin on speaker so he could put his clothes on.  
“Ok so don’t freak out at me buuut Gio’s ankle is bad, like not broken bad but limping bad enough that me and Eureka had to help him onto the bus. It’s happened before this week and every morning he gets up and limps until it’s been walked off but it’s clearly bad”  
Max didn’t know what to say, so he sighed. “Has someone taken him to the doctor? Or the hospital?”  
Bob sighed, leaning against the tour bus as crew packed it and the other queens piled on. “I don’t think he wants to go and I really don’t think Brandon and the other’s want to take him, especially since he went earlier this week already for his chest”  
Max massaged his temples. “Do you think he should see a doctor?”  
“Cracker? Are you kidding me? Of course I think he should see a doctor, he can barely walk backstage and then goes out and does all this choreography. But he’s not going to listen to me or Violet or Kameron and management would rather not given that they need to be at the venue making sure everything’s ready”  
Max leant against the sink, thinking about the damage Gio could be doing to his ankle. “Ok I’m going to take care of this. Just don’t tell Gio we spoke” Bob was confused by the ask but agreed none the less before they hung up their call. Max went into the main room where Katelyn was still sitting in bed on her phone. “We’ve got the next 2 days off yeah?” He said, flipping through the tour schedule until he found the itinerary for the week.   
Katelyn raised an eyebrow “Yeeeaaah, whhhyyyyyy?” she said at his frantic searching through the booklet. “Gio?” She asked.  
Max nodded, taking out his phone and calling their tour manager. “Hey sorry to bother you but I need a favor”

Gio swung his legs out of his bunk, lowering himself down onto one leg before putting his bad foot on the ground. He took one step and immediately put his arm out, hanging onto Kameron’s bunk to stabilize himself as he took a few deep breaths before trying again. The pain had lessened from last night but it was definitely still there as he hobbled to the living area at the front of the bus.  
“Still hurting girl?” Violet said, reclining on the couch with Kim and Kameron as they ate their breakfast and watched movies.   
Gio nodded, putting a few slices of bread into the toaster and leaning on the counter. “Are we already in Denver?” He said, looking out the window. They were in some secluded lot so he assumed they must at least be close to the city.   
“Yeah we got in like an hour ago” Kameron said, still transfixed by whatever game she was playing on her switch.  
Gio rubbed the sleep from his eyes, checking the time on his phone. 11:26am. 10 hours sleep was definitely not something to scoff at but he still felt tired. He grabbed a Redbull from the mini fridge and swallowed his antibiotics, he didn’t feel sick anymore but knew he had to take the full course of medication to ensure it was gone. The other girls were happy he wasn’t contagious, this bus was a breeding ground for any kind of cold and they did not want what he had. Gio was just happy that this week from hell was almost over. “Where are the others?” He said, the toast popping up and making him jump.  
“Valentina and Eureka are still asleep and Bob and Asia left as soon as we got here” Violet said, classically nonchalant. Gio didn’t think anything of it as he brought his breakfast over to the couch, Kim putting a pillow on her lap so he had somewhere to elevate his ankle as he tried to follow along with the movie even though they were halfway through.  
“Aquaaaaa” Asia sang as she stepped into the bus “We have a surprise for you” With a big grin plastered on her face. Gio looked between Kameron, Violet and Kim, all of them also confused. Bob stepped onto the bus, then Max. Gio’s jaw dropped, along with the jaws of all the other queens on the bus. Gio got off the couch and went straight into Max’s arms as tears welled up in his eyes.   
“Oh my god what are you doing here?” He said as they held each other tight, Max gently rubbing Gio’s back with a smile as he breathed in his scent. Gio leaned back planting a soft smiling kiss on Max’s lips.  
“I had a few days off. Thought I’d fly in to see you” Putting his hands on Gio’s hips. “Thought maybe I’d take you out to lunch and then see the show tonight” Swaying them side to side.  
“You flew in to take me on a lunch date?” Gio said, unable to contain his smile.   
“More or less” Gio put his hands on either side of Max’s face, leaning his body against his as he brought them into a longer, more passionate exchange.   
“Just fuck already” Violet called out, sending all the queens into a fit of laughter.   
“Who’s fuckin’?” Eureka said, coming out of the hallway “OH MY GAWD CRACKER” she said, lifting him up like he weighed nothing at all.  
“woah woah easy” Max said, giving Eureka a hug once back on solid ground. “I’ll see all you ladies tonight, right now I need to take my man out for a while” They said their goodbyes after Gio quickly got changed and went out to the car that Max had rented from the airport when Asia and Bob picked him up, knowing that today would require a decent amount of driving.

As they left the restaurant Gio still had to walk off the limp that had come back, his ankle once again stiffening up after sitting down to eat for the past hour.  
“Where are we going now?” He asked, as Max drove through the Denver streets.  
“We’re going to the hospital” He said, not looking over at Gio, scared about what his reaction would be.  
Gio was shocked and confused “Why?”  
Max sighed. “Because I’m worried about your ankle and your health in general” He looked over at Gio who was still sitting there silent as they pulled up to the hospital carpark. “You don’t have to go in, I’m not going to make you. I just wanted to give you the option because I just want to make sure you’re ok. I really think you should get this checked out” He parked the car, turning and holding his hand. “I know this is dumb but-”  
Gio cut him off by leaning over the center console and kissing him. “Let’s go get this checked out” He said, mere inches away, a hand on the side of Max’s face.

Gio sat in the examination room an hour and a half later on the exam chair as Max sat in the grey chair at the side of the room while they waited for the doctor to come back with the x-ray results.   
“UGH I’m so bored!” Gio said, putting his head back on the headrest and hitting post to the Instagram story he just filmed of the empty hospital room.  
Max smiled, sending his text to Katelyn before standing up and walking over to him. He put his hand on Gio’s “I know, but soon enough we’ll know what’s wrong”  
“I can’t believe it took you flying in to get me to come here” He held Max’s hand feeling guilty about putting him through all this stress “I’m sorry I worried you” lifting their hands to kiss the back of Max’s.  
Max smiled, rubbing the back of Gio’s hand, stepping in front of him and putting his arms around Gio’s shoulders. The younger man sat up and put his arms around his waist. “How’s that chest infection?” He said with a smirk.  
Gio pulled him in, “All but gone” Smiling as Max leant in to kiss him. Gio scooted to the edge of the chair, wrapping a leg around Max as he slipped his tongue into his mouth. He ran his hands down and under the hem of Max’s shirt. Running his hands over his back and then around and over his abs. Max’s hand grabbed his wrist, taking it out from under his shirt and intertwining their fingers.   
“You really want to get caught don’t you?” Smirking against his lips before straightening up and rubbing Gio’s jaw with his thumb.  
“We haven’t been caught yet” He said cockily, running his foot against Max’s calf. “Besides we’ve waited for so long, it’s not like she’s going to come back that soon” Reaching up to put his hands on Max’s chest. “We could still have a little fun” He cooed.  
Just as he finished speaking the door opened. Max stepping to Gio’s side and giving him a smug “I told you so” look as the doctor closed the door behind her.   
“Ok, thanks for waiting” She said, putting the x-rays onto the lightbox on the wall. “Well good news is that you haven’t broken anything and there’s no serious damage”  
Gio breathed a sigh of relief, squeezing Max’s hand, sensing Max drop some of his tension.  
“So what about the swelling and the pain?” Gio asked.  
“It looks like you may have a light sprain, nothing too significant but it would be enough to make your ankle stiff and sore, and would explain the light swelling” They both just nodded at the results, Gio relieved and Max having expected it to have been a lot worse.   
“Is it going to be better by next Friday? I have a really big performance and need to be in heels all weekend” Gio said, remembering all the commitments he had at Dragcon at the end of the next week.  
“You should be ok but I wouldn’t recommend anything strenuous over the next few days, maybe using a thicker heel if you absolutely have to walk in them but I wouldn’t be all out dancing as much” The doctor was clearly skirting around the issue but Gio immediately realized there was no way he would be doing his regular number for the rest of the week.   
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Max asked, feeling Gio tense.  
“Yeah so as well as not doing as much strenuous activity I would say just follow the basics, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. It’s simple but it will help” Max squeezed Gio’s hand, knowing that he was worrying about how long he would take to heal. He was even more happy that he made the decision to get on the plane today. Gio needed him.

They got back to the venue with enough time to spare that Kameron hadn’t even started her makeup. They went backstage to find Brandon and give him the news.  
“We’re going to have to figure out something else for tonight. I can’t do that number with my ankle like this” Gio said as he finished telling Brandon what the doctors had told them.  
“Well shit” He said “I didn’t think it was that bad. What are you gonna do instead?”   
Luckily Max and Gio had figured out a last minute option from an old routine of Gio’s that they could get on stage tonight without too much trouble. “I’ve got it sorted, we just need to organize music, I have it on my laptop and all I need is a spotlight”  
Brandon looked surprised and relieved, like he had seen an accident waiting to happen and turned out of the way just in time. “Ok, let’s go get this sorted” He said, about to walk off, expecting Gio to follow him.  
“Wait I need to get my stuff off the bus” Gio said, realizing he was so unprepared for tonight’s show.  
“I’ll get it baby” Max chirped in. “You need to use all the time you have”  
“You sure?” Gio asked, mildly worried.  
“Yeah, definitely. I’ll be a real drag husband for the night” He kissed Gio on the cheek. Gio mouthing a thank you as he followed Brandon to the side of stage to figure out how tonight’s number’s would work, Max giving his hand 1 last squeeze as their hands parted.

Max took most of Gio’s stuff back to the bus while he took off his makeup. Going to the back of the bus, he collapsed onto the couches. He finally exhaled for what felt like the first time all day as he looked up at the dim lighting that circled the ceiling of the bus.  
“She’s back here!” Bob called out, opening the curtain as the other girls all piled on after her, carrying all the bags of food they ordered into the living area around Max, who got up to make room. “You don’t have to be the mom friend all the time you know?” Bob joked at Max helping with the sorting of everyone’s meals as the queens came in one by one, grabbing their food and sitting around them. Gio was the last one up the stairs, having stopped by the fridge to grab an icepack on his way up. Max turned around with a quick welcoming smile as Gio leant in for what was meant to be a quick kiss but lingered when Max’s hands rested on his shoulders.  
“It hurting you?” He whispered, noticing the icepack in his hands.  
Gio rolled his eyes, pushing the cold bag against Max’s chest “Not as bad as yesterday but doctor’s orders” He winked, taking a spare spot on the couch, putting his foot up on the seat while he iced it.  
“And if I remember correctly she also said you should elevate it” Lifting Gio’s leg and sitting down under it so he could rest his foot on his lap.   
“You gonna bottle feed him too?” Bob joked, taking another bite of Thai food.  
“You gonna stop being an asshole?” Max quipped back.  
“Never, and you know it” Bob replied proudly, resting back against the black leather seats.  
Asia scoffed at the interaction between the two of them. “girl if my daughter spoke to me like that I swear to god I would be on her ass so fast”  
“They’ve been there, done that” Kim joked, immediately going quiet as she realized what she had just said. The entire bus was quiet, Max’s hand moving to Gio’s leg. “Sorry I-”  
“Oh my god, no, stop, it’s fine” Gio said, sticking his fork back into the box “It happened, can’t change that”  
“Yeah but doesn’t mean it needs to be brought up. It was years ago” Bob chimed in.   
Valentina was looking at the two of them very confused, Violet leaned in and whispered in her eat to fill her in on what everyone was skirting around. “Oh!” She said loudly, Violet rolling her eyes at the failed subtlety.   
“Can we stop pretending that it’s a big elephant in the room. Yes, Bob and Max had a thing in the past, but it’s DONE. Bob is my sister; do you really think we’ve been faking a friendship for the last 11 shows? No, we haven’t. It doesn’t bother me that they have that past. End of story” He said with a shrug and another mouthful of his dinner.  
“Exactly” Max said, rubbing his leg. And the girls did leave that part of the conversation there, moving onto some other topic as they ate before Eureka let out a loud yawn.   
“Shit I need to sleep” She got up heading towards the curtain that divided this living area from the bunks.  
“Yeah I should too” Violet said, lifting herself off the couch. The other girls followed, each stripping down and getting ready for bed. Max grabbed a pillow and stuck it under Gio’s foot, Bob taking the icepack back downstairs to the freezer while Max moved to sit next to Gio, the younger queen cuddling up to him when he did.  
“Where are you sleeping tonight Cracker?” Kameron asked, standing in the doorway brushing her teeth.  
“Yeah or are the two of you gonna try and squeeze into Aquaria’s bunk” Said Asia, stepping out of the tiny bathroom so Kameron could rinse her mouth.  
“We’ll just sleep here tonight” Gio said, his head resting on Max’s shoulder.  
Kameron and Asia smirked at them, Violet rolled her eyes as Bob came back from the front of the bus “If you- Sorry, WHEN you two get nasty tonight, can you at least make sure you clean EVERYTHING up. Ain’t none of us need to find a memento from one of ya’ll”   
“Oh shut up, let them do their thing” Violet chimed in, grabbing the blankets and pillows off Gio’s bed for the two of them “but word of advice ladies, sweat makes those couches REALLY squeaky. Trust me, I learnt the hard way” The entire bus laughed, oh boy did they learn the hard way. Gio shaking his head, remembering how the girls in the bunks had all opened their curtains to check the others were all hearing the same thing while trying to hold back their laughter.  
“At least we all bought ear plugs after that” Gio laughed, catching the pillows and blanket and setting up their little bed for the night. “thanks Vi”  
“Night ladies” She said, closing the curtain to give the two of them some privacy.  
“GOODNIGHT AQUA! GOODNIGHT CRACKER!” The rest of the girls called back.  
Gio laughed, Max beckoning him back to sit on his lap, slinking his arms around his thin waist as the younger queen leaned against him.  
“Thank you for today. I know it wasn’t how you probably wanted to spend your day off”  
Max held his hand “Spending an extra day with you is exactly how I want to spend my day off” Gio looked down at him, putting a hand on his chest and leaning down to kiss him tenderly as he repositioned himself so he was straddling his lap.  
“Well I couldn’t have asked for a better surprise” Cradling Max’s face in his hands. Max put his hands under Gio’s shirt as their lips met again running them all over his back. Gio reached down and pulled his shirt over his head before pulling Max’s off too, the older queen laughing as his shirt was thrown across the small room.  
“What?” Gio giggled back “Not as if we sleep with shirts on anyway” Running his hand down his bare chest. “besides, we started something at the hospital today” He said with a devilish grin as Max pulled him back down, their kiss deepening as Gio rolled his hips against him. He moved his mouth to his porcelain neck, leaving a few tiny marks in his path as he climbed up his slender neck up to his ear.  
“You really want me to fuck you on a moving bus?” Max whispered questioningly, nibbling at his ear.   
“Well I would if you had given me some warning that you were coming” Gio pulled away with a smirk on his face. “We can save THAT for when we’re back home next week” He said, rolling his hips against Max again.  
Max let out a small moan “It’s been a long 3 weeks without you there” reaching around him and squeezing at his ass lightly.  
“This is definitely a bonus of getting to see you a week early” He said sporadically as Max moved his hand to reach into his pants, his eyes fluttering shut as Max began to stroke him. Max smiled lightly as he looked up at Gio before putting his other arm around the young queen’s back to lift him and lay him down on the couch, Gio putting his hands on Max’s shoulders to kiss him as he lay back on the cool leather. Holding himself up by his elbow, Max hovered over Gio, as the younger man shimmied out of his sweatpants beneath him. His hand didn’t stop as their lips worked against one another, even when Gio’s breath became shallow and his hips and legs would writhe as he got closer to the edge. Max knew he was about to cum as he moved his lips down to his jaw, Gio whimpering Max’s name softly, digging his fingertips into his bicep as he came on his stomach and Max’s hand. Gio’s chest collapsed down on the couch, this once ridged body relaxing against the leather. Max ran his tongue over his hand to clean up the drips before looking over at the mess Gio had made on himself.   
“You really have been pent up haven’t you” He smirked with a soft laugh as Gio looked at him, trying to keep a straight face. “Want me to get a towel?” He asked, going to get up as Gio reached back and pulled a hand towel out from under the blanket. “How?... When did you even get-”  
“Violet” cutting him off “She put it in the blanket when she grabbed everything off my bunk for us”   
“Well remind me to thank her in the morning” Max chuckled as he took the towel and wiped Gio down, discarding the towel and lying down in his arms. He raised his arms in the tight embrace to hold Gio’s face in his hands as the younger queen leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was slow and intimate, their bodies intertwining in the small space. Gio ran his hands down his back until he ran his fingers around top of Max’s jeans.  
“And I want to thank you right now” He said against their lips.  
Max sat up, leaning on his outstretched arm as Gio looked up at him with an eager smile plastered on his face in the dim light. “Do you now?”  
Gio sat up, a finger under Max’s chin as he stood the two of them up. Max smiled, loving when he would take charge. With one hand on the side of his face, the other hand traced down Max’s torso, undoing his belt and fly swiftly singlehandedly. Max tugged his jeans down, kicking them to the side. Gio palmed him through his underwear, smirking at the sharp intake of breath from Max’s lips against his when he did. “Sit” He said, putting a hand on his chest and pushing him gently back onto the couch. He stepped forward, time feeling as though it slowed down for Max as he opened his legs and stared up at him, still in awe of the man in front of him. Gio slinked down into a squat, a hand on each of Max’s legs.  
“Baby your ankle, you shouldn-”   
“Shhhhhhhh” Silencing him with a finger against his lips before pulling Max’s underwear off swiftly but still with an air of delicacy and care that couldn’t be properly described.  
“You are unbelievable” Max said, both stunned and incredibly turned on, as Gio kissed along his inner thigh.  
With that cocky smile back on his lips Gio sat back on his heels, running his hands over Max’s legs as he unapologetically looked his naked form up and down a few times. “Babe we both know I’m only just getting started”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our queens reunite in New York for DragCon NYC. With such little time together they try and squeeze as much as possible into their few days in an attempt to maintain a sense of normalcy that they have been missing, and plan their future just like any other couple would.
> 
> This is a LONG chapter but I hope you all enjoy xx Betty

Gio had been waiting at the airport for over half an hour when the people from Max’s flight started filtering out. With so many queens on the flight to New York, even the middle of the night flight was packed. Gio could only imagine how chaotic the baggage claim area would be right now with Dusty, Monet, and Miz Cracker all coming back for Drag Con that weekend. He watched diligently for every face that walked out through the automatic doors. “HEY AQUARIA!” Monet called out, pulling her suitcases over to him and giving him a hug, shocked to see him there. Max had said that Gio was going to meet him back at home. Max hadn’t wanted to drag him out to JFK at 2 in the morning on the morning of Drag Con set up day. “What are you doing h-” Cutting herself off as Gio unrolled the tube of paper next to him. “Surprise! The Love Of My Life, Welcome Home” Written in delicate white cursive on the navy paper, a silhouette of the New York skyline painted along the bottom. Monet stopped, smiling “You know what, I think I’m just going to stay for a little longer and see how this cute shit goes” she said, parking herself next to Gio. Dusty’s boyfriend also arrived and gave them a quick hug as he joined them in their wait. Max, being the mom friend of the group wanted to make sure that everyone had their things from the conveyor belt before packing up him and Katelyn’s cart. He insisted on pushing the cart for them, seeing as Katelyn had done so much luggage moving for them over the past few weeks. They exited the frosted glass that divided the 2 sections of the airport, Max scanning for the doors to the taxi rank until he saw the crowd of the other girls, shocked that they were still there. That was when his eyes found Gio and his sign, his hands letting go of the trolley and covering his shocked mouth as tears began to well in his eyes. Katelyn grabbed the cart and Monet grabbed the sign as Gio dropped it, Max and Gio jogging over to each other, Gio scooping him up off the ground as Max wrapped his legs around his waist. Gio spun them around, the two of them giggling. Max leant down and kissed him as Gio slowed their spin, the happy tears from Max’s eyes wetting both their faces. He put him back down on the ground, the two of them just standing there in a tight embrace, kissing each other’s cheeks repeatedly.  
“Did anyone get that?” Katelyn asked, moving the trolley over to the other 2 queens.  
“I got it on my story” Monet said  
“And I got all the photos” Dusty said, her fiancé wrapping his arms around her waist. All of them unable to look away until they began to turn back to them, whipping their heads around and hoping they hadn’t caught them staring. They had, but they didn’t care as they walked over to their friends, hand in hand.  
They all went out to the taxi rank, Dusty going first, Katelyn and Monet splitting a cab. “Hey!” Max called out to them as Gio put his suitcase in the trunk while Monet was getting into her cab.  
“Yeah?” She said, lifting her head from the yellow door.  
“Send me those videos?” He asked as Gio closed the trunk.  
Monet nodded. “You got it! See you tomorrow Cracks! You too Aqua!”   
“Bye Mo” Hey both called out as Gio put his arms around Max and his head on his shoulder. The two of them waving Katelyn and Monet away as their cab went off into the night.  
Gio kissed his cheek. “Let’s go home” Max turned, Gio opening the cab door for him before getting in and giving the driver their address.

It was close to 3 in the morning when the car pulled up outside their building. They split the suitcase between the two of them as they ascended the stairs to their apartment. Gio handed Max the key, letting him do the honors of unlocking their apartment door for the first time in months. Max stepped in, walking the few steps before crashing onto the couch. Max looked around the room while Gio moved his luggage to the corner of the room where his drag lived. “You cleaned the apartment?” He said as Gio took his shoes off his dangling feet for him.  
“Maybe” He said with a bashful smile, squatting down next to him, running his hand through his hair. It was more than maybe; the place was spotless. “Ready for bed babe?” he said, massaging his scalp. Max nodded, taking Gio’s hand to help him off the couch. He walked over to the bedroom, pulling his shirt over his head and taking off his pants as he walked into their bedroom while Gio turned off the lights in the living room. Max was standing at the side of the bed when Gio came into the room, turning off the overhead light to let the fairy lights around their bed illuminate the room, taking off his shirt and hanging it up in the closet.   
“what?” He asked, noticing the way Max was looking at him.  
“You made the bed?”   
“And washed the sheets” He said, shimmying out of his jeans and kicking them to the side, Max was still staring at him “What? It’s not like I’ve never cleaned before”  
“You didn’t have to do all of this” Max said, still standing next to the immaculately made bed, almost not wanting to get into it an ruin Gio’s work.   
Gio smiled softly “I know I didn’t HAVE to but after dinner with my friends I came home and had some time to kill so I did this to occupy my time” getting on the bed and moving over to Max, sitting on his heels in front of him and putting his hands on his biceps. “Besides, I love seeing how happy these little things make you” Draping his arms around Max’s shoulders. Max pulled him into a kiss, a gentle, long kiss, 1 hand on the side of this face and the other on his waist.  
“What did I ever do to deserve you?” Max said to himself as he pulled back, a sweet smile on both their lips.  
“I can think of a few things” He leant in for a quick peck before pulling back the terracotta duvet cover and getting into bed. He reached out to Max, beckoning him to join him. Max got into the crisp sheets, Gio immediately nestling into him, his head on his shoulder and his hand on his chest. “Welcome home babe” He said, rubbing circles on his skin.  
“I love you” He said, kissing the top of Gio’s head, feeling him beginning to fall asleep.  
“I love you too” He managed to mumble out before falling asleep. Unlike Max who had slept on the plane, Gio hadn’t slept yet that night. In fact, he made Linux come back to his place after dinner, asking her to help him get the place ready for when Max would get back and to help him paint the poster. It’s not that he didn’t want to hang out with her for the sake of hanging out, but he also wanted her there to make sure he didn’t fall asleep, scared that if he did he would miss getting to surprise Max at the airport. She was happy to help him out, it’s what friends are for, and she was also the one of his friends who could shut the others up this weekend when his friends would inevitably want him to stay out all night every night. Max lent his head on Gio’s, matching the pace of their breaths and quickly drifting off to sleep.

When he woke up the sun was shining through their window, a golden glow through their thin curtains on Gio’s pale skin in front of him. Max turned over, lightly running his hand over Gio’s waist and peppering kisses on his shoulder blade, the young man stirring awake and turning in his arms onto his back. Max ran his hand over his abdomen as he blinked, rubbing his eyes as they adjusted to the light. “Good morning” His voice raspy as he mumbled with a small smile.  
“Good morning” Max said, Gio putting a hand over his on his stomach.  
“What time is it?” He asked groggily.  
Max rolled over, picking up his phone quickly “10:15” rolling back over to Gio, leaning down and kissing him. Gio held his face gently, not wanting him to move away and break their kiss just yet, lifting a leg onto him. Their lips parted, Gio stroking the side of Max’s face as they stared into each other’s eyes in a comfortable silence.  
“Can we just stay like this all day?” Gio said quietly, the light streaming into the room making his eyes shine, his voice barely that of a whisper.  
Max trailed his fingers along Gio’s spine “You know I wish we could baby” He whispered “But I promised Katelyn I’d be there to help her set up around noon”   
Gio sighed “I know, I’ve just missed you” Trailing a hand down to this chest “I just want you all to myself”  
He pulled Gio against him “I want that too, but we’ll have that tonight” kissing his temple “and for the next 6 nights” Running a thumb over his cheekbone “and we’ll get ready together every day and I’ll cook us dinner and it’ll be-”  
“Just like old times” Finishing his sentence for him.  
Max chuckled, leaning in for a quick peck. “Just like old times” Gio smiled, this was the most nights they would spend together in weeks if not months. “I should probably get in the shower if I don’t want to be late” Kissing him and rolling out of bed, stopping himself and watching as Gio stretched out in their bed before collapsing back into the mattress, letting out a quiet chuckle before going towards the bathroom.  
“Want me to grab you a coffee?” Gio called out, pulling on the black jeans he left on the floor that night.  
“Yes please!” He called back through the door. Gio could hear Max turn on the water as he took a white Miz Cracker t-shirt out of his drawer, grabbing his wallet and keys from the kitchen bench and heading out to the coffee shop down on the corner.

He was back in 15 minutes, two coffees and a brown paper bag in hand, placing them on the bench. Max walked out of their bedroom, shirtless with jeans undone and sitting loosely on his hips, drying his hair with a towel. “Oh well hellooo daddy” Gio said, resting his weight onto one hip.   
Max chuckled, walking over and putting an arm around Gio, kissing him deeply as Gio’s hand rested on his still steamy chest. Max pulled away from the kiss with a smirk “careful baby, you’re gonna make me late” He went back to the bedroom leaving Gio standing in the living toom in a daze, throwing the towel in the laundry hamper and coming back into the room, buttoning up his pants and shirt. Gio relaxed back on the couch, scrolling through Instagram and sipping his drink. Max went over to the bench, picking up his coffee “What’s this?” He said, picking up the brown paper bag.  
“Thought I’d pick you up something to eat on your way to the convention center” Max looked in the bag at the bagel. “I wanted to make sure you ate today”   
Max leant over the back of the couch. “Thank you baby” the two of them sharing a sweet kiss before Max started throwing everything he needed for the day into his backpack. “hey did you get a chance to take a look at those venues I sent you yesterday night?” He said, taking a moment to stop and actually drink his coffee.   
“The rustic one or the industrial one?” He said, going back through their texts.  
“I take it by your tone that you’re not feeling either of them” Max said, smiling and sitting on the couch next to him for a moment.  
“I just, I’m just not really feeling this kind of hipster industrial vibe that’s such a thing at the moment” He put his hand on Max’s knee “It just doesn’t scream us to me”  
“You have a good point, what about the one with the view?” He said, moving closer and putting an arm around Gio’s shoulder so they could both look at his phone. “yeah that one” Pointing it out as Gio scrolled through the dozens of venues they’d sent each other in the past 2 weeks.  
“Ooooh I liked that one. I think we need to decide a wedding theme” Putting his phone down on his thigh and turning into Max. “What are you looking for in a wedding venue? Like what’s your checklist?”  
Max started rubbing Gio’s freshly buzzed head, still not used to him having such short hair “I just want something with nice architecture and a unique take on the city. Simple ceremony that the space can hold its own without a bunch of frills needed where the attention can be on us but people still think the venue’s great. I don’t know there’s something that’s so New York about it to me”   
Gio nodded “And I want it to have some elegance, and showcase the city but I also really want a cool, big, nightlifesque reception. Like the coolest party people could be at” His eyes were wide and Max just smiled at him “There’s something so New York about it to me” Teasing him and holding his free hand.  
“Touché” Max said, turning their hands to check his watch “I gotta go if I want to get to Katelyn on time”  
“Yeah Jordan will be here soon, we have a lot of things to pick up”   
Max got up, giving him a quick peck on the lips. “Love you”  
“Love you too” the two of them just pausing for a moment and smiling at one another as Max opened the front door. This moment was so normal. It was so like what their lives were before.  
“I’ll see you soon baby” Max said with one final smile before he left the apartment for the nearby subway station.

Jordan and Gio showed up at the convention center a few hours later, his team having been there since 1 setting up.  
“Hi everyone” Gio said, going around and thanking his friends and the artist who painted the backdrop for his booth who had been there setting the space up. It didn’t take too long for Jordan and Gio to unload the trolley of stuff they brought with them and set everything up. Gio was finessing the setup of the mirrored boxes and spheres that made up a lot of his set while Jordan was setting up the lighting, when he sat down on the clear throne, crossing his legs and looking around.  
“What are you thinking?” Jordan asked, noticing the expression on his face. Gio looked around, knowing he was in earshot of everyone on his team. He got up, walking into the wide hall space and facing his booth. Jordan moving him away from Asia’s large, much more elaborate set.  
“Do you think it’s enough? Like compared to LA this isn’t great, isn’t it?” He crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at his booth. Jordan looked at the booth, trying to see what he was talking about.  
“Ok look, were we less prepared this time? Yes. Does this look bad? No. I just think you can’t see the full concept that you wanted without the fabric. Like once you’re strapped into it it’ll all come together. I promise” Jordan put a comforting hand on Gio’s shoulder.  
“You’re right, you’re right” He turned and hugged Jordan “Thank you”  
Jordan smiled “You’re welcome, you little bitch” They laughed, “Ok so what do you think about how the merch is looking” He didn’t get an answer, turning back to Gio, seeing him trying to look around the corner. He sighed “Hey I’ve got this here if you and Max want to head home?” Jordan said, getting Gio’s attention back.   
“Really?” He asked  
Jordan smiled at him, Gio had this excitement about him when Max was around that he loved seeing in his best friend “yeah I mean we’re basically done, it’s literally just folding t-shirts and other merch shit then I’m getting the fuck out of here. Go get some extra time with your man” Waving him away.  
“Thank you” Gio said, kissing him on the cheek and grabbing his backpack, saying his thanks and goodbyes to his team before heading over to Max’s booth around the corner from his. Gio stopped in front of the booth where Max was putting the finishing touches on the table set up of his kitchen set. “Are you kidding me!” Gio exclaimed as he walked up, Max turning his head with a smile at his fiancé’s shocked expression.   
“Cute right?” Katelyn said, the Miz Cracker team all proud of themselves for how good the booth looked. They had come up with the concept really quickly after LA DragCon and could not have been happier with how it had come together.  
“It’s better than cute, it’s everything!” He said, hugging Max, the two of them looking at the set.  
“Thanks baby” Max said with a smug smile, he knew it looked good, craning his head up for a quick kiss. “I was just about to come ask you if you could leave yet”  
Gio raised an eyebrow “I mean yeah I was coming to see if you were ready to go home yet”  
“Great!” He seemed really excited “You know that wedding venue with the view that we liked?” Gio nodded “They said we can check it out if we can get there around 5 to 5:15, if you want to of course, we don’t have to if you’d rather we just go home, I’m happy to do that too” beginning to ramble.  
Gio checked the time on his phone. “We better get going then” the two of them smiling at one another.   
They said their goodbyes to everyone and went out to the front of the convention center. They considered going to the subway to get back to Brooklyn but on this time crunch Gio pulled him straight to the first cab he could flag down. 

They got to the venue with plenty of time to spare, the event manager for the venue meeting them in the foyer. She took them through the open glass clad foyers and landings where cocktail hours could happen, through to the big reception space. It was large, grey, open…dull. The event manager tried to explain to them all the things they could do to make it more interesting and personal but they could see on each other’s face that neither of them were sold. The event manager could tell that too but knew that the main attraction was still waiting. She took them up to the roof and Gio’s jaw all but hit the floor. The elevator opened to a large grass topped rooftop, glass around the perimeter so there was no point at which the view of the river and Manhattan was obstructed. Max took Gio’s hand, walking them over to the far end of the rooftop. “Oh my god I love it” Gio said, beaming ear to ear and putting his hand on Max’s chest. “Can you see it babe?” Turning Max around and pointing out the design in his head. “We can put the arch there and have all the chairs down all the way back to the elevator, ooooh and we can have all flowers lining the aisle, and get married at sunset”  
He turned in Gio’s arms “I love it” Kissing him, smiling equally as big as Gio was, picturing their perfect wedding.  
The event manager walked over “So I take it you’re interested?”  
They turned to her “What’s the availability like?” Max asked.  
“Well we’re booked out until the end of March, and then only a few weekend dates available from then till August. Did you have a date in mind” Gio and Max both looked at one another, they didn’t have a date in mind although they had hoped for a fall or winter wedding. They hadn’t expected for the venue to have endless available bookings but they didn’t think it would be booked out for as long as it was.  
Gio squeezed Max’s hand “Can we get back to you in a few days, I think we just need to think it over” The planner understood completely, taking them back downstairs and getting their details before they went out to the street. Max ordered them a ride back to the apartment while Gio leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.  
“What’re you thinking baby?” He said, Gio reaching out to him and taking both of his hands, swinging them lightly.  
“I love that ceremony space” He said, Max basically seeing the cogs in his head turning to try and find the best way to phrase his next sentence.  
“buuuut” He encouraged.  
“But I really hate that reception room” Gio blurted out, waiting to see what Max’s response would be. Max had loved this venue so much and it was his top pick, he had organized this tour today, he felt like he was letting him down by not loving everything about it.  
“Gio” Max said, leaning in “I hate it too” seeing a look of relief wash over Gio as his shoulders relaxed, letting go of one of his hands and placing it on his face.  
They both chuckled at Gio’s reaction “But I really do see us getting married up there on that rooftop”  
“I do too baby” putting his hands on Gio’s hips.  
Gio smiled thinking about how it was starting to come together. “Hey I thought of a wedding theme when we were up there” He said, resting his hands on Max’s shoulders.  
“And what would that be?” Max asked, knowing he’d love it regardless given how happy Gio seemed to be about the idea.  
“New York Eleganza” He said with a look in his eye. Max smiled, of course that would be their wedding theme, how could it not.  
“No extravaganza?” He joked, still loving the theme.  
Gio let out a small giggle, the car Max had ordered pulling up to the curb. “Oh darling have you met my friends? Don’t even tempt them with extravaganza” Both of them laughing and getting into the car.

Dropped off at the front of their building Max kissed Gio on the cheek as the younger man reached into his pocket for his keys. “I’m just going to go to the store and pick up some things for dinner” before taking a few steps away. Gio watched him as he walked away from him.  
“Hey” Gio called out, Max whipping his head back to him. “Can I come with you” He said bashfully looking at the ground, fiddling with the keys in his hand “I can’t even remember the last time we went grocery shopping together” Max smiled softly and reached out back to him, Gio jogging over and linking their arms as they walked the short few blocks to the store they had frequented when living full time in New York. They split up in the store, Gio going and picking up enough snacks to hopefully last them the 4 nights till the end of DragCon.   
Gio found Max as he was picking up some fresh salmon for that night’s dinner “Is it dumb that I’m excited that we’ll have to go shopping twice while we’re in town this time?” Putting everything into the basket that hung from Max’s arm.  
“If so, then we’re both dumb” Putting his arm around Gio, his hand in his back pocket as they went to the register to pay. Max playfully squeezing Gio’s ass through his pocket before unpacking the basket, garnering a smirk from the younger queen who kissed his cheek, taking out his wallet and insisting on paying. They each carried a bag home, hands held between them, Max lifting their hands every time they stopped at a cross walk to kiss Gio’s engagement ring.

Gio sat on the counter as Max cooked their dinner, swinging his legs as they chatted away, exchanging tour stories. Gio got up and turned on the TV, actually wanting to watch the news for once, it being their daily routine from before Drag Race. The two of them always settled back into their old routine so quickly when they were together in their home. Max brought over their plates and handed him his, Gio lifting his legs for Max to sit under them while they ate. Gio had missed just sitting with Max and talking about the world and politics, he was just so smart and articulate that Gio would just want him to keep talking. Max took their plates with a kiss, insisting that since Gio had done so much cleaning the night before, that it was the least he could do. Gio smiled, watching how domestic and natural it felt to just watch Max doing everyday normal chores, before going to get in the shower. When he got out 20 minutes later he dried himself off as he walked into their bedroom, taking out a clean thong and genuinely considering if there was any reason to even put it on, but he did it anyway. He looked over himself in the full length mirror in their room, he could complain all he wanted about the pain in his muscles after the gig but it was doing wonders for him in the ass department. As he ran his hands over the light curves of his body he remembered how Max had kissed him awake that morning, how he was run his hand down his spine, how he had left him in a daze after kissing him, how he had grabbed at his ass in the store. He had missed his touch on his skin.  
He went out to the kitchen where Max was drying the final two dishes. “Heeey” He chimed as Gio put his arms around his waist, placing his head on his shoulder “You ok bab-” Cutting himself off as Gio began to kiss his neck, leaning back into him.  
“You almost done?” The feeling of his warm breath on his skin sending chills through Max’s body.  
“Um yeah, I um, I’m almost, almost done” Practically unable to get the sentence out as he leant his head to the side, freeing more of his skin from the confines of his shirt collar “I just need to finish this last plate and put these away” Turning his head to the side and giving Gio an all too brief peck on the lips, returning his attention to the task at hand. Watching him take the last dish from the soapy water, Gio’s hands began to undo the buttons of Max’s shirt. The older queen froze as Gio’s hands ran over his abdomen. “If you keep that up you’re going to make me drop something” Smirking as he put the now dry plate on the stack.  
“Can’t that wait for tomorrow?” He whispered in his ear.  
“Are you teasing me Giovanni?” Max said, not wanting to give in that quickly. Gio took one of Max’s hands, reaching it back and onto his bare waist. Max’s hand traveled down Gio’s side, surprised at the expanse of skin his was feeling, only broken by the thin band of underwear before continuing again.   
“Doesn’t have to be just teasing” His voice was low and calm as he held Max’s hand against his ass, Max squeezing gently.   
Max turned to face him, taking a minute to look him up and down, smirking as he ran his hand over his stomach. “You know, patience is a virtue my love” His hand running over his hip and tugging at the elastic band of his thong, snapping them back against his porcelain skin.  
“Haven’t we both waited long enough?” Putting his hands on either side of Max’s face. “I can’t wait any longer. I want you now. I need you now” Leaning in and kissing him, Max’s arms tightening around his waist, pressing their bodies together. They parted only slightly, their foreheads touching “Come on daddy, you know you want to” He was practically cooing as he begged, already semi hard in his thong, sliding Max’s shirt off his shoulders and onto the floor.  
Max gave in, how could he not with that look gazing back at him. He pulled him back into a kiss, this one more intense than the last. Max reached down to Gio’s thighs, lifting him off the ground as Gio’s legs wrapped around his waist, letting out a giggle as Max carried him to their bed. He lay Gio down with such delicate care, kissing down his neck, chest, stomach, hipbone, thigh and watching him get harder at even the slightest touch, before standing up and turning off the overhead light, allowing the glow of the almost set sun though their window illuminate the room. Gio sat up on the end of the bed as Max undid his belt and jeans and pulled them down his legs before stepping closer to his fiancé once more. Gio started kissing his lower abdomen, palming him through his underwear. Max let out soft moans through his lips as he rubbed Gio’s scalp. He looked up at him with such wide eyes as he pulled his underwear down, trailing kisses along his hip bone and wrapping his hand around Max’s shaft, feeling him getting harder in his hand. He lay Gio back, joining him on the bed in a feverous kiss, hands running over each other’s bodies and pulling each other as close as possible. Max, who would break their kiss with a moan every few moments while Gio was still working wonders on him, ran his hand along Gio’s body down to his crotch. There was a wet spot on the front of his underwear from where he had begun leaking. “Was there even any point in you putting this on?” He asked with a chuckling grin as he helped his lover remove the tiny amount of fabric from his body.  
“I enjoy the theatrics of you having to undress m-” cutting his sentence short as Max kissed his neck, taking him in his hand also, running his thumb over the drops of precum and leaving his head glistening. Gio was already moaning hard, his hips moving off the bed as Max continued touching him, moving his mouth down to his chest and biting playfully at his nipple.  
“Turn over” Max said, a devilishly grinning Gio instantly turned onto his stomach in anticipation. Max straddled his legs, massaging his ass with his hands, spreading him open for him. He pulled Gio’s hips back so the young man was now on his elbows and knees in front of him. He leant down, pausing briefly before running his tongue over the sensitive ring of muscle, causing a long moan to trail out of Gio’s lips “Oooooh daddy hmmmm” Gio moan, his arms gave out as Max’s tongue began to press harder against him, collapsing into the bed with his ass still in the air. Max chuckled at the sight, massaging him with his finger as he reached for the bottle of lube Gio had thrown on the bed before coming into the kitchen earlier. Coating his fingers, Max gently inserted a single finger into him, followed by another to warm him up. “Ah fuck” Gio groaned as Max’s fingers worked inside him.  
“You like that baby?” He asked, leaning over, kissing and biting at his ear.  
“Yes, more, fuck daddy please, I want you” Gio begged, Max was happy to oblige as he felt his own dick twitch against his stomach. He slicked himself with the lube, realigning himself with Gio’s body and running his tip over Gio’s entrance, causing a sharp intake of breath from the young queen as he teased him a few times. Max was slow when pushing himself into Gio, leaning down and kissing his shoulder and back as he let out a strained moan under him.   
“You’re doing so good baby” He whispered against his skin as he continued to gradually insert himself. But Gio wanted more and wanted it now, pushing himself back onto him, making Max double over again at the tightness engulfing him “You feel so good” He murmured as Gio slid up and down his length, back arched as he held himself up on his elbows again. Max grabbed onto his ass, stopping him before taking over. His thrusts started off small, gradually getting faster, harder, and deeper, Gio not holding back on any sounds coming from his mouth now. Soon the room was filled with a mixture of obscene sounds of skin hitting skin and moans of ecstasy from both of them.   
“Oh, oh fuck, yeah” Gio stammered as his legs and arms gave out, Max’s grip being the only thing holding his hips up now. Max slowed himself once again as he watched Gio grab the sheets with a white knuckled grip. Leaning down, Gio turned his head to face him, a hand on the side of his jaw as Max kissed him. Gio turned over, a shudder through his already electrified body as Max slid back into him once more, reaching up and bring him back down in a rough and messy kiss. Their lips parted, both panting as Max took his hand and started stroking Gio, knowing they were both on the edge by the way Gio was grinding down on him.  
“Touch yourself for me” He instructed, Gio looked at him wide eyed as he wrapped his hand around his shaft. “God you look so hot like this” Max said through gritted teeth as held his hips, wanting to hold on a little longer but not sure if he could. Gio blushed, something about knowing that after countless times together Max still found him this attractive and exciting turned him on even more.   
“Ah Fuck!” He let out, as Max slowly thrust hard in and out of him, only gently picking up his pace “Hmmmm there, oh yeah right there, you feel so good inside me” Gio whined as it became harder and harder for him to catch his breath, his back arching off the mattress. He grabbed onto Max’s bicep with such intensity that it was warning enough as his body shuddered, tensing around Max as he came. The tightness around Max and the visual of Gio in front of him, covered in his own cum, still touching himself was enough to send Max over the edge only a minute or so later as Gio rolled his hips down on him in an effort to elongate his own high. His fingers dug into Gio’s hips, his body freezing except for his hips that twitched as he came inside him. He leant over him and kissed him, carefully pulling out to lie down next to him. The younger man whining slightly as he left his body, still sensitive as Max ran a finger over his entrance and the drips of white that were leaking out.   
“You’re so good baby” He said, leaning in and kissing him softly.  
“Good doesn’t even begin to describe you” Gio took his face in his hands, basking in the afterglow in their now moonlit bedroom.  
Max looked down at Gio’s stomach “You made quite the mess tonight” he said with a chuckle.  
“You’re the one who made it happen” Laughing with him “I put a towel in my bedside drawer after my shower”  
Max leant over to his own side of the bed, opening the drawer and passing him a hand towel. “When will you learn that I’m always one step ahead of you baby”   
Gio was confused as he took the white cloth from him “I could have sworn we washed every towel in the apartment before we left and put them in the closet” cleaning himself up  
“We did. And I took one down and put it in the drawer when I got out of the shower this morning” Turning on the fairy lights before lying down next to him again.  
Gio smirked at him “and here I thought I was the one being presumptuous about how our night was going to go” Tossing the dirty towel at him, which Max caught before throwing it into the hamper across the room like it was nothing.  
“Giovanni I’ve been dating you for almost a year now, I know you, there’s no way tonight wasn’t going to go like this” Stroking his cheekbone, staring into his eyes and smirking “You’re way too much of a bossy bottom for that” He joked, Gio lightly hitting him on the chest.  
Gio looked at him with mocked offence. “Wow, wow was that a read?” Max nodded, chuckling at his sweet smile “You fucking read me” Trying in vain to hold back a laugh “I’d be offended if you weren’t so cute”  
“Lucky me then I guess” Leaning in and kissing him, Gio nuzzling into him as Max’s arms held him close. They were both in a peaceful silence, Gio tracing patterns on Max’s back and Max rubbing Gio’s short hair.  
Gio looked up at him, putting a hand on the side of his face and running his thumb over the light stubble that was growing back in. “Marry me at Drag Con” Gio said all of sudden, so gently that it took Max a minute to register what he had said.  
“What?” He said regardless, positive he had heard him wrong.  
“Marry me at Drag Con”  
“Who are we? Ginger?” Max tried to joke but was well and truly shocked.  
“Or we can go to the court house on Monday and just elope, just the two of us”  
Max could see there was something was going on in Gio’s head. He sat up against the headboard, patting his lap for Gio to come sit on him. He straddled Max’s lap, relaxing as Max rested his hands on his hips. “Where’s this coming from baby? What’s the hurry?” He asked but Gio was quiet “You’re not pregnant are you?” He joked, actually getting a laugh from his fiancé, who looked down with a blush. “Why the rush to get married?” Putting his finger under Gio’s chin and raising his gaze back to him. All he wanted was for Gio to tell him what he was thinking.  
“It’s just” Pausing to think about how to say what he was feeling “I mean August? At the earliest? I know it’s not that long and that people wait longer than we have or that we’re going to wait but I just want to be your husband already. And all this wedding stuff like it’s so much to think about and do and plan for. I mean how can we plan? We don’t even know when we’re on tour next year. I just want to be able to say you’re my husband and that I’m yours and that we’re a family” His voice cracked and his hands shot up to his face as tears started to pour out of his eyes. “Shit” Trying to hold back the tears and wipe the ones that had already fallen onto his cheeks.  
“Hey hey hey” Max said trying to comfort him, sitting up off the headboard and rubbing his shoulder, trying to wipe away his tears but Gio leaned back away from him.  
“No I’m, I’m being ridiculous, I’m overwhelmed, I’m being an idiot, I-”  
“Giovanni” Max cut him off, hating to hear him talk about his emotions like they were wrong “You’re not an idiot ok” Taking one of Gio’s hands, reaching up and wiping a tear from his face, feeling him rest his head into his hand trustingly. “I know this is stressful, I’m stressed about it too, and this weekend is only adding to it for both of us” taking both of Gio’s hands and squeezing them gently as Gio nodded silently, in no way surprised that Max completely and immediately understood how he was feeling. “But even if we wait a year, a year and a half, even 5 years to get married, I’m still yours, nothing will ever change that baby” His own voice cracked, the two of them smiling at one another as happy tears welled in Max’s eyes and replaced the once overwhelmed ones in Gio’s. “You already are my family Giovanni Palandrani, you’re mine, I’m yours, we’re already that. And our wedding will be a celebration of that, a celebration of our future and our past, of us. I want to make that special. And you don’t want to actually get married at Drag Con. I don’t want to get married at Drag Con. I didn’t fall in love with Aquaria and you didn’t fall in love with Miz Cracker” Gio lowered his forehead against Max’s, he was right, he knew his brain almost better than he did himself. “But hey” Max moved back to look him in the eye again “If you really want to elope on Monday I’ll do it. We’ll go get married and then meet our friends for lunch and that’ll be it. But if you still want to have our dream wedding we can make that happen too” Max had barely gotten the words out when Gio moved forward and hugged him tight, rubbing his back and kissing the side of his head as he felt Gio relax again.  
“thank you” He whispered.  
“For what?” Max asked as he continued to rub circles on his back.  
Gio sat back “For everything” Shaking his head and smiling affectionately.  
“I love you”   
“And I love you more” Leaning in for a soft kiss before rolling off him and back to his side of the bed.  
“Not possible” Max said, running his hand over his hair and getting out of bed “You want something from the kitchen?”  
Gio got himself comfortable against the pillows. “Hmmm just a water, with ice if I remembered to fill the tray the other night when I got back”  
Max came back with 2 glasses. “So should I be telling my mother and sister to fly in for Monday?” passing Gio his glass.  
He took a sip, “I don’t see the point, did you not hear her say they’re not free till August. I mean there’s those few weekends between then and March but I didn’t think we were thinking spring” Smiling at him. Their dream wedding back on before it was even off.

Their apartment was chaos the next morning with the two of them trying to get ready. The morning started off perfectly, well as perfectly as you can be woken up by a screaming alarm at 7:45 in the morning. But to Max and Gio getting to wake up next to one another, regardless of the alarms or the oncoming events of the day, they were thankful to be able to wake up next to one another. It was actually calm for a few hours, Katelyn even bringing them breakfast. It wasn’t till it was almost time to leave that everything seemed to get crazy, but that’s how it always goes doesn’t it. Cars began to be close to arriving, teams were beginning to arrive at the convention center, zippers needed to be done up, and Jordan was still MIA with the outfit Gio needed for his performance.  
“God why does everything get left to the last minute” Gio almost yelled, getting to the point of anger and stress that Max lovingly called The Diva Stage.  
“We at The Diva yet?” He said, walking over and doing a final spray on his wig while it was still on the stand.  
“Oh she’s almost here, and she’s gonna be here sooner if Jordan isn’t” Getting that look in his eye and pacing around, going from room to room, checking his phone every few seconds.   
Max went over to him, blocking his way and putting a hand on the chest of the blue blazer Gio had just thrown on “Breathe baby” His other hand on the other side of his chest now too, watching as Gio’s eyes closed, feeling his chest expand under his hands as he took in the deep breaths. “Better?”  
“A little” Clearly it was more than a little better with how much his voice had returned to normal. “I just, I just need Jordan to get here and then we can go and then the people from WOW can be there when we get there and we can film everything and just start this weekend so it can end and-”  
“And then we can have 3 days together” Max finished his sentence.  
Gio smiled, nodding ever so slightly “Exactly” taking his hand “Are our lipsticks close enough colours?” He asked with a cheeky smile.  
“Close enough” He purred, reaching up on his toes for a quick kiss, Jordan walking through the door as their lips parted.  
“FINALLY! LOOK WHO DECIDED TO SHOW UP” Gio exclaimed, Jordan spitting out a trail of excuses and reasons for why it took him so long. Max went over to put his large wig on before going to readjust his dress again in the mirror.   
“You know I really should have done some fittings with this” Pulling at the dress over and over, trying to smooth out the bumps and ridges the fabric was creating “Do I look awful?” Turning to Gio who was sitting on the couch, pulling on his silver thigh high boots.  
“You don’t look awful babe”  
“Can’t tell me this is my normal shape” Sighing and still readjusting.  
Gio zipped up his heels “It’s not your normal shape” Walking over to him “and I know it’s not ideal, and God knows I need to thank Milk for dropping this jacket off this morning or I wouldn’t even have an outfit, but we’re going to get through this and everyone’s gonna love us” Squeezing Max’s arm “Love you”  
“Love you” Leaning forward, tilting his head back slightly and really feeling the weight of his wig, it definitely was going to need a few more pins to keep it secure all day.  
Gio laughed “I’ll come to you” bobbing down to his level for a quick kiss, both of them turning to the sound of a camera. Katelyn blushed, such a rookie mistake.  
“What? First DragCon as a couple and who knows if you’ll get moments like this together during the weekend” Katelyn showing them her phone. It was a cute photo.  
“Send that to me” They said in unison.   
The 4 of them chuckled, Gio putting his arm around Max’s waist. “You two are bordering on disgusting at this point. I swear you get 2 days together and I start thinking you’re actually morphing together” Jordan said, rolling his eyes even though he was smiling.   
“Car in 5 Cracker” Katelyn said, checking her phone.  
“Coming” Picking up his handbag from the couch. Gio and Jordan were running around the apartment, knowing his car would be there next. Katelyn took the suitcase next to the door and went out into the hallway.   
“You’re forgetting something” Gio said from the bedroom doorway, watching Max panic for a moment, going through the entire mental checklist he had for the day before realizing what Gio was talking about and walked over. They leant over the couch for a kiss, a hand delicately on the side of each other’s face, mouthing their love you’s and going in for one final peck before Max headed for the door. “I’ll see you there” Gio called out.  
“See you there”

But they didn’t get to see each other there. Well they did but they didn’t. The entire weekend they were strapped to their booths for most the day every day, both figuratively, and in Gio’s case, very literally. In fact, the only time one of them was able to drop by the other’s booth was the first day, right before Gio’s performance. Him and Jordan had stopped by the Miz Cracker booth as they were walking to the stage. Jordan popped his head in past the backdrop.  
“Oh my god it’s so good to see you!” Max said, knowing that Jordan would mean Gio and he was so sure he wouldn’t get to see him before his big performance. Gio ducked through the curtain in his new outfit, holding the large checkered robe closed around himself. “Heeeey” Max said as they embraced, or embraced as much as they could without pulling a wig. Gio looked around at the few people who were beginning to stop and stare. He smirked, pulling Max back behind the curtain. “How you feelin’?” Max asked rubbing Gio’s bicep. He knew that he was worrying about this performance. It was all he would talk about. About if he could do a song live. How there was no way he was going to perform Burn Rubber live, the rehearsals, the costumes. He just wanted this to be absolutely perfect.  
“Nervous…but confident” Cockily smiling.  
Max winked “That’s my boy. I’m guessing you went for the red bodysuit?”   
Gio waved a red gloved hand, opening up his robe to show Max the stoned bodysuit he had on underneath “I mean how could I not” Proudly taking the robe off and posing for him, turning away and tossing his hair over his shoulder to look at him.   
“How could you not” running a hand over the ass in front of him, not caring if anyone saw them. Gio giggled and playfully swatted his hand away before he turned back to him cheerfully.  
“Aquaria we gotta go” Jordan said as he came back, Gio putting his robe back on and Max helping him take his hair out the back.  
“Kill it baby” Patting him on the ass  
“Well if you say so” Winking at him, thanking him for the confidence boost as he went to the stage.

Other than that moment, they could honestly not find another time to meet up during DragCon. It was exhausting but worth it. No matter how tired they were though, there was something reassuring in knowing that they were coming home to each other at the end of the night. Coming home and Max cooking them a quick dinner, how Gio would insist on sitting on Max’s lap when the entire rest of the couch was free. They made it work. It was 3:30am on Monday morning when Gio got back to their apartment. He had treated team Aquaria to drinks and a night out to celebrate the end of a long weekend. He threw his clutch on the counter, still fairly drunk even though it had been over an hour since his last drink, and went to get a big glass of water. Max came out of their bedroom, undoing his corset. “I was not expecting you to be up” Gio slurred, more from exhaustion than anything but definitely boosted by drunkenness.   
Max chuckled “Yeah I wasn’t planning on being out so late. I only got in like 15 minutes ago” Coming over and getting a quick kiss from his drunk fiancé, no harm in getting Gio’s blue lipstick on him at this point. “I’m guessing all your friends are walking around with blue stains on their cheeks too” Wiping some of the smeared navy lipstick from the side of Gio’s mouth.  
Gio chuckled, leaning against the counted. “HA! oooooohhh yeah and you can blame Linux, and Joe for this” Gesturing to his smeared lips.  
“Oh it’s not the worst it’s been” Reaching up and putting his arms around Gio’s shoulders. “Even when I put a ring on your finger I still have some competition” Smirking, looking between his eyes and lips.  
“Oh soooo much competition” He said sarcastically, leaning in to kiss him more intimately as he reached around Max’s back to undo the last of the corset for him, unhooking the front and putting the corset on the counter. Max didn’t care if Gio’s friends kissed him or if he kissed his friends. It’s the way Gio and his friends were when they went out, and it wasn’t like those kisses had meaning behind them. Those kisses were nothing like the kiss they were having right now. Max leant their foreheads together, finally able to take a big deep breath. “I need to take this couch cushion out of my tights” Making Gio giggle sweetly. They each went over to their vanities and wardrobes and got to dedraging.   
“Ah fuck, why is it that, that, this never seems to get easier” Wincing as he took off the last piece of tape.  
“I mean it could be all in our heads or it could be that we put tape on our dicks” Tossing Gio the packet of makeup wipes.   
“Hmmmm must just be a mental thing” Quickly wiping Aquaria away, another time saving reason he was glad he shaved his eyebrows off.  
Max came over and kissed him on the top of the head. “I’m just gonna jump in the shower” Leaving him in the living room while he went and got the water running. Gio came into the bathroom and leant against the doorway.  
“Mind if I join you?” He asked.  
“Baby you know that I would usually say yes” Stepping is as he took his hand, bringing it up to his chest “But I’m so exhausted, I just want to shower and get into bed, cuddle up and go to-”  
“Sleep?” Gio said with the hint of a giggle as he raised a brow “Babe I want to sleep as much as you do, but right now I have tape residue on my dick and I actually just want to take a shower”  
Max laughed, putting his head against Gio’s chest “I’m sorry” Gio kissed the top of his head. “Of course you can join me” pulling back the shower curtain and getting in, somewhat therapeutic for the both of them to be able to wash off the sweat and grime and glue of the day.

If they weren’t meeting Gio’s mom for lunch Max was positive there was no way he would have been able to get him out of bed. Any time Max would try and get out of bed Gio would pull him back in, wrapping himself around him, kissing every inch of his body. He didn’t know how he resisted him when he was like that but he did. Well he didn’t the first time, but the second time he did, he was only human after all. They met her at a cute little restaurant near central park that a few of Gio’s friends had been bragging about to him for months now to try. Both thankful that their teams were willing to take down their booths without them to give them this time.  
“Max! Sweetheart! How are you?” Gina said, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight.  
“Oh I am good I am good” Hugging her back.  
“I’m here too Mom geez” Gio said from next to them. His mom stepping over and giving him a hug too.  
“Oh I’d never forget about you Giovanni” Pinching his cheek “It’s not possible”  
“Ok ow ow mom!”  
“Sorry” Letting go of his cheek “Let’s eat” They were shown to their table. Max pulling Gio’s chair out for him before taking his own seat next to him. “Max you are such a gentleman. You two are still so adorable”  
Gio looked over at Max, who was blushing, and took his hand on the table “Yeah I’m lucky to have him” The waiter came over and handed them each their menus, reading out the specials. It didn’t take them long to pick something and order, the 3 of them cheersing their glasses of wine and taking a sip. “Hmmm so Mom I forgot to tell you” Putting his glass back down on the table and placing a hand on Max’s shoulder “We found a wedding venue! Well a ceremony venue, but you know what I mean! It’s all happening” Gina’s mouth dropped looking between the two of them.  
“What! What does it look like, where is it, when did the two of you even find time to go look at wedding venues?”  
They laughed “We went on Thursday afternoon after set up for DragCon, it’s in Brooklyn, it’s actually really close to our new place” Gio said, pulling up the folder of photos of it on his phone and passing it over to her, watching her eyes light up as she flicked through the gallery.  
“Oh sweethearts this is stunning”  
“Confirmed it this morning” Max said, squeezing Gio’s hand, both of them promising earlier that they’d wait for it to click for her.  
“Good, wow this view is amazing its-” She paused, it clicked “Wait to confirm a venue you need a wedding date”  
“Gina” Max extended a hand to her.  
“Mom” Gio extending his to her as well “I’m going to need for you to be in New York on December 28th 2019”  
“Of course! Oh my god, a New York winter wedding” Bringing her hands up to her face, almost on the verge of tears.  
“A New York winter eleganza” Gio corrected “That’s the theme”  
Max put both his hands on Gio’s “We know a wedding during the holidays isn’t the most convenient time but it’s the only time of year that we can guarantee that we’re going to be home at the same time, and that we can have time off after to have a honeymoon”  
Gio nodded “Yeah and honestly we were beginning to think we couldn’t have a honeymoon. And come on who doesn’t want to get married in New York in the winter”  
His mom looked at the way the two of them looked at each other when they spoke “I love it” She said, raising her glass “To December 28th” They clinked their glasses together as the waitress appeared with their meals, all of them getting the hype Gio’s friends had been talking from the first bite.

They spent the next 2 days in bed, making up for lost time together, and packing things into moving boxes. With them both on the road so much in the coming months, and the two of them moving into their new place in January, they knew this was their best opportunity to get ahead in their packing.  
“Are we really taking all these Pokémon?” Max said, looking at the large box that Gio was filling with the plush toys “I’m seeing like 3 of each version right now”   
Gio took the toy out of Max’s hand “Ok first it’s called an Eeveelution” bopping him on the nose with the tail of a Vaporeon “And second, I know there’s a lot of them but they’re fan gifts and they go to so much effort to get some of these, I can’t just throw them away” Sitting down on the bed next to him. Max moved over and hugged his shoulders, kissing him on the cheek.   
“You’re right, you can’t, and I wouldn’t make you. We’ll find room” Gio turning his head to kiss him as he spoke. Gio got up, putting the last of them into the box and sealing it. Not before taking out one of the larger plush ones.  
“Who know’s, I have a feeling these will one day be well loved” Looking at the toy and then back to Max.  
“Who said our baby will like Pokémon?” He said, getting off the bed and going towards the door to the living room where more and more boxes were being filled.  
“Oh come on, it’s gonna be my child too, it’s gonna like Pokémon” They both laughed, getting back to work. They’d packed a lot of their things up, realizing that apart from their drag, they really didn’t keep a lot of stuff around. Max lifted the boxes on top of each other at the sides of the room to make sure they still had some space. “I got it” Gio said as he grabbed the small box of Max’s books before he could bend over to grab, placing it on top of the stack. Max wrapped his arms around his waist, Gio looking down at him with the corners of his mouth barely turned up as he held him close. “Does our life really pack down this easily?” Resting his head on Max’s as they looked around the apartment, the now empty shelves that were once heavily packed with books and photos and knickknacks now bare.  
Max nestled into his chest, letting out a sigh “We make a good team”   
He lifted his head, looking back down at him with a sweet smile “We do” Leaning in for a long, gentle kiss. “Let me take you out to dinner”  
Max raised an eyebrow “It’s fine baby, I can cook for us, it’s barely even 5:30”  
Gio lifted his hand to the side of Max’s face, running his thumb over his cheek “You deserve a break” Max had made them dinner and breakfast every day. He got such joy out of cooking for him, even more from when Gio would be in the kitchen to help him prep everything. “I’d cook for you but I don’t think we want food poisoning or more of my pasta” Both nodding, he had a point “Come on, let me take you on a date” Swaying them gently.  
Max couldn’t help but smile at that “It’s a date” reaching up on the tips of his toes to kiss him quickly. “Let me just go get changed”

Both of them liked the idea of getting a little dressed up for their date, Gio pairing his printed silky shirt with his favorite heeled boots and Max going for his go to blue short sleeve button up. They both matched their outfits with black jeans, even if Gio’s were so tight that it was like they had been painted onto his body. They walked out of the sushi restaurant, Gio linking their arms when Max offered it to him.  
“I’ve missed this” Max said as they walked down the street, taking advantage of the longer hours of daylight in the early October sky. “Even though we used to be around each other all the time, we always managed to make date night special” Looking up at him.  
“Remember that first time you had to work on date night?” Gio asked, leaning against him as they walked around the neighborhood they would soon be calling home, both eager to be moving.  
There was no way Max would ever forget everything that Gio had done for him that night “Baby you rearranged the apartment to set the coffee table in the middle of the room and made a canopy of fairly lights over a candlelit homemade dinner at 3 in the morning. How could I forget a gesture so grand? Besides, it was the first time you ever cooked for me” Nudging him.  
Gio blushed at the ground, the same way he had when Max came home that night, worried that his romantic gesture had been too much. But Max had loved it, to the point at which he was rendered speechless, and on the verge of tears from the moment he stepped into the room. “I was panicking so hard that you were going to hate that meal” Scoffing a chuckle as he remembered how many calls he made to his mom while he was making the meal “Like it’s really hard to fuck up boxed pasta, but I was so sure I’d mess it up”  
Max stopped them, stepping in front of him “You’re really not that bad of a cook. And even if it was bad, which it wasn’t, that was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for me” Gio rested his hand on Max’s shoulder as the older man spoke, bending in and kissing him, not caring that they we’re making out in the street. Gio’s phone buzzed in his pocket, taking it out and his eyes widening.  
“I have a surprise for you” Grinning from ear to ear, hailing down a passing cab. Max raised an eyebrow, opening his mouth to speak but Gio put a finger over his lips. “I’m not going to tell you” Retracting his finger “It wouldn’t be a surprise” He opened the door of the cab for him, Max accepting his fate of not knowing and getting into the car, trusting him entirely. 

“What is this place?” Max said as Gio paid the cab driver. The building was dark red, old but restored, Max didn’t really know what he was looking at.  
“Come with me” He took his hand, leading him up the stairs and knocking on the large wooden door. A man opened it soon after  
“Giovanni?” He said, Gio nodding and shaking his hand “And you must be Max” Shaking Max’s hand next “please come in” He guided them into the small foyer, where art hung on every wall, before closing the door behind them.  
“Thanks for doing this” Gio said as the other man went to the large double doors.  
“Ay no problem. Now it’s not fully done up but it should give you an idea of what we could do for you two” Max looked over at Gio, still incredibly confused as the man opened the doors.   
They walked through the doorway and Max immediately went into shock as he looked around the space. The room was large, open, had incredible old gothic architecture that was lit up with amazing aqua and purple light, almost like they were in a European cathedral or something Max found more familiar. “Did this place used to be a Synagogue?” Max asked, noticing the star of David engraved high on the back wall that must have been an alter at some point. The venue director nodded “Yeah it used to be before it was abandoned. It’s now an event space and art gallery” Max was in awe, and so was Gio, it was even better than he had expected it to be. “Now we usually put tables along here and here” Pointing around the room “That’ll leave all of this for a dance floor. And upstairs on the balcony we can do a full cocktail hour before the two of you arrive. We have a full kitchen downstairs, a bar, and we have in house event planners if you need help with anything else”  
Max stood in the center of the space, looking up at all the amazing details in the architecture, squeezing Gio’s hand and spinning him around the space as he walked. “And capacity?” He asked.  
“For sit down dinner? We can do 250” It was perfect.  
“And they’re free on the 28th” Gio put his hand on Max’s shoulder. Max smiled up at him, putting a hand on his hip as he still tried to take in all the details of the beautiful space.  
“I’ll let you look around for a few minutes alone while I get ready to lock up. I’ll be out in the foyer when you’re ready” Giving them some time together.  
Gio turned them to the alter, wrapping his arms around Max’s waist and resting his head on the shorter man’s shoulder. “What do you think?” He whispered. “I know we didn’t want to do anything religious but I thought this would be a nice to have some of your culture around us during our wedding” Looking up at the intricate details. He knew that even though religion wouldn’t be in the wedding, being Jewish was more than a religion. It was a culture, it was Max’s culture that he was so proud of.  
“Where did you even find this place?” Max said, his awed shock replaced with a beaming smile.  
He kissed Max’s cheek “Linux. She was looking for cool venues to throw a party in, saw this place and thought of us”  
Max turned in his arms, reaching his arms around Gio’s shoulders “Well remind me to thank her next time I see her. This place is so perfect, it ticks every single thing we said we wanted” The smile on Max’s lips was so sweet, his eyes shining in the colorful lights.  
“Yeah she’s good like that” Pressing his fingers against Max’s waist, beginning to make them slow dance around the space.   
“Baby, we’re getting married” Max said, holding his face as it all became so much more real.  
“Let’s go reserve this place then” 

The timer of the microwave went off just as Max left their bedroom, an old pair of grey sweatpants sitting slouched on hips. He walked back to the living room, bowl of popcorn in hand.  
“I really need to send a thank you to the inventor of grey sweatpants” Gio said, looking him over unapologetically and smirking mischievously.  
“And I need to send a cease and desist to whoever designed those shorts” shaking his head at the loose cheetah print shorts Gio was lounging on the couch in.  
Gio lifted his legs to let Max sit under them. “I think you don’t understand fashion” Raising his brow while Max stroked his leg.  
“And I think you purposely wear them because you know all I want to do is rip them off you” Running his hand up the side of Gio’s leg and just under the hem of his shorts as he leant over and kissed him tenderly.  
Gio put his hand on Max’s cheek “How dare you see through my plans” He said between kisses.  
“What’re you writing?” Max said, looking down at the notebook Gio had been scribbling on, nestling down next to him as the younger man made room for him to lay down.   
“I um, I made a list of things we need to do for the wedding” Blushing “I know it’s a lot but-” He cut himself off when Max picked up the notebook and read over it. “I think we need a wedding planner” Gio said with a bit of a grimace, knowing that that was an added cost they hadn’t budgeted for. Max raised his eyebrow, it was a really good list, and it was a very long list at that.  
“You’re right, we should” Max said, he leant over Gio and put the notebook down on the coffee table. He grabbed some popcorn, eating a few pieces and hovering over Gio again “But it’s 15 months away” He said, smiling as he popped a few pieces of popcorn into Gio’s mouth. “Let’s just not worry about it right now” Resting his hand on the bare chest beneath him. Gio raised his hand to the side of Max’s face, holding them there as he caressed his face, his thumb running over the stubble that had grown in over the past 2 days. “What are you thinking about baby?” Max asked lovingly, tracing circles on Gio’s sternum.  
“Can we just stay like this tomorrow, like I have a laser appointment at 1 but I want to make you breakfast in bed and spend the morning all cuddled up, and then come back home and just get right back into bed with you until dinner” Trailing his hand down to Max’s chest.  
Max leant in and kissed his forehead “Yeah baby, I think I can do that” Kissing him before Gio turned over and cuddled back into Max as he picked a movie and they settled in for the night. The movie ended and Max was careful to get up, not wanting to wake a sleeping Gio who was snoring ever so softly. Max picked the few pieces of popcorn off Gio’s chest before gently waking him. He didn’t open his eyes, rather whining and stretching his arms out. Max chuckled before scooping Gio up in his arms. The young man immediately wrapped his arms around Max’s shoulder to hang on to him while Max held him. He lifted his head from Max’s shoulder, oddly awake now that his precious feet didn’t have to touch the ground. He turned his head to kiss him before Max carried him to bed, both whispering their I Love You’s in each other’s ear. Nights like this one may have been few and far between for them but they were worth it, Max thought after he placed Gio down on the bed. He paused before getting into the bed with him, watching him curl up in the sheets to get comfortable. No matter what, he was worth it. He would always be worth it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What could be more nerve wracking than your fiancé spending their first Thanksgiving with your entire family? How about meeting your fiancé's mother and sister on the same day as well. Max and Giovanni have their first Palandrani Thanksgiving, with Max's mom and sister flying in to join them. They've built up a lot of pressure for this, they want the day to go smoothly, they want their families to get along. But more than anything they just want to find some time together in the chaos to be alone.

As the Uber Gio had caught from the airport pulled up in the driveway of the Palandrani family home, a wash of both nerves and excitement washed over him. It was the first Thanksgiving that they would be spending with both their families together. The first time Max would be meeting Gio’s entire family, and possibly more terrifying, the first time Gio would really get to meet Max’s sister and mother out of drag. He got out of the car, the driver helping him take his suitcases out of the trunk as he heard the front door open.  
“So the drag superstar decided to show up” His sister called out from the patio. Gio turned and smiled as she ran over, giving him a big hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever” She said into his shoulder, even though he’s moved out years before and moved to New York, it was a different kind of him being gone since he won drag race.  
“I saw you last month. I’ve seen you more recently than I’ve seen my fiancé” Gio said, lugging his suitcase up the stairs.  
“God it’s still weird to hear that” She paused on the step thinking about how odd it was so hear her brother talking about getting married. “So just because I’ve seen you a few weeks ago means I can’t miss my big brother?” Nudging him with a smile as she went through the door, both of them leaving the heavy suitcases by the stairs as the sound of running little feet came bounding towards him.  
He bent over and scooped Stella up off the floor, the puppy going crazy in his arms, trying to lick his face. “Stella!” He giggled as he tried to calm his dog down “Oh I’ve missed you precious” cooing at the dog he hadn’t seen in almost a year.  
“Is that Giovanni!” His mum called, coming out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish cloth and engulfing him in a hug. “My babies are both home” Pulling Francesca into the hug as well. “David! He’s home!” She called out, his dad coming down the stairs to give him a hug too.  
“How’ve you been?” His dad asked, a hand on his shoulder.  
Gio smiled, he hadn’t seen his dad in so long. They had a good relationship, and not many queens got to have a father who was so supportive, but he wasn’t as close with his dad as he was with his mom. “I’m really good dad, like really good” His dad just smiled back. He was a man of few words sometimes but Gio could tell he was happy for him. “Is Max here yet?” Gio asked. His dad nodded, putting a hand on his back and guiding him to the kitchen. Max was standing with his mom at the bench, rolling out sheets of pasta dough.   
Max turned his head to the sound of steps entering the kitchen “Hey!” Smiling ear to ear, wiping his hands on his pink Miz Cracker apron. Gio hurried over to him, kissing him and wrapping his arms around him, Max careful to not dirty his clothes even though they were just sweats. Gio never really thought there would be the day he would be kissing his fiancé in his parent’s kitchen with his family around, but he wasn’t mad at the development. He guessed that was one of the perks of your family loving your partner. “Have you been here long?” He asked, putting his hands on Max’s hips and watching with his head on Max’s shoulder as he made the raviolis.  
“Uhhh maybe like 2 hours” He said, pausing and thinking, not sure honestly how much time had passed.  
“2 hours and my mom’s already got you cooking?” Gio said, lifting his head from Max’s shoulder and looking over at his mom as his sister took a seat at the bench.  
“He offered” Gina said putting her hands in the air in defence.  
Max turned and looked at her, raising an eyebrow “After you requested it” Laughing while Gio looked at his mom with an equally raised brow.  
“Mom he’s meant to be MY personal chef” Wrapping his arms around Max’s waist, pulling him a little off balance and against him.  
“Yeah but he also made really delicious looking pasta on the internet and I may have brought it up” his sister admitted, after taking a candid photo of the 3 of them all in the kitchen.  
“And I didn’t have anything planned for dinner and it sounded really good” His Mom said, rubbing Gio’s arm as she stood next to the two of them to help make the raviolis.  
“Honestly, name 1 thing more terrifying than being asked to cook pasta for Italians, I’ll wait” Max joked, getting a kiss on the cheek from Gio. “It’s really my pleasure though” Reassuring Gina that this wasn’t any trouble.  
“Anything I can do to help?” Gio asked in Max’s ear, his breath tickling his skin.  
Max looked over at him, reminded of how Gio would be the best assistant in the kitchen back home “You remember how to make that sauce?”   
“Of course I do” Kissing him on the cheek and going to get out the necessary pans and ingredients. Of course he remembered, it wasn’t like it was complicated. He had remembered when Max had come home that day, a rare time where they were both in New York for the same exact night, and taught him to make the recipe he made with Bon Appetite. He had been so proud of how it had turned out that he wanted to try it again for Gio the second he got home. Gio had made Max pasta from scratch a few times, one of the few recipes in his arsenal, but Max was so excited to make this for him. His dad came back in as Max was boiling the raviolis in a large pot, Gio making the sauce next to him, and Gina was getting sides together on the counter.  
“Never thought I’d see the day Giovanni cooked for us” He said as he helped Francesca set the table.  
“What can I say, I’ve domesticated him” Over his shoulder in that classic Miz Cracker voice, getting laughs from the entire family. Gio smiled, something about how comfortable Max was and how easily he fit into this family made everything just feel right. It was like he could see their future right in front of him.

They finished up their dinner, sitting around the dinner table as the family caught up. Gio and Max told stories from tour, Francesca telling them about college, Gio’s mom feeding them all as though they hadn’t had a meal in years as the desserts came out.  
“Mom tomorrow’s Thanksgiving, how much dessert do you have in that fridge?” His sister asked, leaning back in her chair.  
“Enough to keep my babies sweet for a whole other year” Kissing her on the forehead as she collected the plates.   
Max stacked his and Gio’s, standing up with her. “Let me help you clean up” He said.  
“No you sit down Max” David said “You’ve done way too much for us tonight” Max reluctantly took his seat back down, passing the plates to Gina.  
“It’s really no trouble, I’m happy to help”   
Gio’s dad laughed “You know we already liked ya Max, you don’t need to be doing all this to impress us”  
Gio smiled as Max blushed, taking hold of his hand on the table “Shockingly dad he’s always like this” Running his foot up the side of Max’s calf, having sat on the corner like they always did back home for this exact reason.  
“Oh yeah?” His dad said, raising an eyebrow “When’s that gonna rub off on you?” The family laughing as Gio rolled his eyes, Max squeezing his hand.  
Max chuckled “He’s actually really helpful around the house” Rubbing the back of Gio’s hand on the table.   
“You’re really changing him Max” Francesca said as she got up from the table.  
“Only for the better” Gio whispered, he and Max sharing a sweet smile as though no one else was in the room. His dad caught it too, looking over at Gina who was beaming as she looked at them, both of them knowing how happy the other one was to see Giovanni like this. They had been so worried when Giovanni had told them that he was going to college in New York City. Even all these years later they still worried about him. Until Max. Max made them reassured. Sure Gio had friends in the city but no one would look out for him in the way that Max did. Giovanni with Max wasn’t someone they ever had to worry about.

They all ended up on the couches in the living room, Francesca and David on the armchairs, and Gina sitting next to Max and Gio on the couch. Max’s arm was around Gio as they watched the movie. Gio had originally walked in and sat on Max’s lap out of habit like they did at home before getting a look from his sister as his mom and dad walked into the room, quickly sliding off Max’s lap and next to him with a bit of a blush as Max smiled proudly. It wasn’t like he thought his parents would be disapproving of him and Max being affectionate, but there was a bit of a line they were treading given this was the first boyfriend he had brought home for any holiday. Halfway through the movie Gio let out a big yawn, turning his head into Max’s shoulder. “You getting tired?” Barely a whisper as he rubbed Gio’s arm, not wanting to disturb everyone else who were still focused on the TV.  
“When am I not?” Yawning again, Max unable to not think about how cute he looked as he tried to hold the yawn back. “How about you?” He mouthed. Max rolled his eyes back a little, his eyes fluttering as his head slumped forward in mocked exhaustion, opening an eye and smirking at Gio. Gio laughed and sat upright “Ok I think we’re gonna go to bed” Getting up off the couch, holding Max’s hand and bringing him up with him.  
“You sure honey? It’s only 9:30” Gina said, oblivious to the little conversation that had just happened next to her.  
“Yeah all the touring and planes have caught up to us. We could use a good night’s sleep for once” Squeezing Max’s hand.  
Gina nodded. “Ok, let me know if you need an extra blanket or anything”  
“Sure mom” Leaning over and giving her a hug. “Night guys”  
“Goodnight” Max chimed in.  
Gio’s family said their goodnights to them before Gio took Max’s hand and led him to his bedroom, carting their bags up the stairs.   
Max couldn’t help but look around the walls of Gio’s teenage bedroom as he put his suitcase down. There were Madonna and Lady Gaga posters on the walls, a few paintings Gio had done when he was younger framed and hung proudly, even a few photos of a younger Gio from high school and old dance competitions in frames on the desk and dresser.   
“You snooping?” Gio asked, turning on the lamp and turning off the lights before stripping down to his underwear and leaving his tshirt and sweatpants on the floor.  
“Of course I am but more importantly, are you wearing boxer briefs!?” Max doing a double take.  
Gio looked down and scoffed a laugh “Yeeeeah” Looking at Max, who was still looking him up and down. “Honestly I ran out of clean underwear on tour and this is all I could find at the last minute in a little store near the hotel” Bashfully looking down at the ground, not realizing how something so simple as a different kind of underwear could make him feel so self-conscious.   
“I think you look kinda hot actually” Max said, stepping out of his jeans.  
“Really?” He said raising an eyebrow, stepping over to Max, who immediately put his hands on his bare chest and looked up at him.   
“Really” Running a hand down Gio’s body and toying with the waistband of his black underwear. Gio pulled Max’s t-shirt over his head, leaning down to kiss him as he put a strong hand on the small of his back to pull him against him. Max felt like his body was weightless as Gio kissed him, being held up as he craned his head up into the kiss. He walked Gio back towards the bed, pulling him down next to him without breaking their kiss. It only deepened as Gio ran his hand up his thigh and over his ass, grabbing gently at first but getting rougher as he grew hungrier, eliciting small hummed moans from Max against his lips. Gio rolled on top of him and started to kiss down his neck, biting and sucking at the delicate skin, trying his best not to leave too much of a mark but getting a little lost in the moment.  
“Should go in and say goodnight to them? Check if they need anything?” They heard Gina say out in the hallway right outside their room, both of them freezing in their tracks, Max sitting up on his elbows as Gio hovered above him. They kept looking from each other and back to the door and then back to each other again, 10 seconds feeling like an eternity.  
“Leave them be, if they need anything they’d tell you” David said.  
“Yeah mom, you wouldn’t just walk in there when he was 17 and single, it can’t be any better now” Francesca chimed in.  
“Ok you’re right, goodnight sweetheart” Gio collapsing his head against Max’s chest in relief, feeling Max kiss the top of his head as they remained perfectly silent until they heard two bedroom doors close. Gio rolled off and laid down next to Max, both trying in vain to hold back their laughter as they looked up at the ceiling.  
“You been caught in here before?” Max said through giggles.  
Gio turned to him, his head on Max’s shoulder “Not in here and not by my mom” Sitting up on his elbow and trailing his fingers over Max’s bicep “But there was 1 time in high school, I think I was like 16 or 17 maybe, where I was messing around with a guy at his place and his mom walked in on us making out” Still grimacing at the memory “I was on top back then too” Playfully hitting Max’s arm as he sat up to take off his socks.  
Max sat up next to him, peppering his shoulder with kisses. “You know we could give that a try again if you want to?”  
Gio turned his head to him, surprised. “Seriously? I, I mean I’m down, you know I am. But are you sure you want to?” Sympathetic to the fact that they had tried switching roles before, twice, with it not working for them each time.   
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I want to give it another go” Max felt slightly guilty for always being the top once he found out that Gio actually was vers, and that he had been the top more often than not before they got together. They had fallen into a routine almost immediately after their first time and never stepped out of it. Both times they tried switching were early on in the relationship, the first time it not feeling right in the moment and them immediately switching back. The second time was even worse, both nervous and putting too much expectation that it became uncomfortable and was over basically before it started. They didn’t want to admit it but they both were so worried that the relationship was so new that even the slightest misstep would ruin what seemed so perfect. They didn’t have to worry when Max was the top and Gio was the bottom, it worked and they knew it worked. But now felt different, they had been together longer, they knew there was no fragility in their relationship that something this small could break.  
Gio put his hand on Max’s chest. This was something he wanted, not all the time but it was something they had spoken about a long time ago. “Really?” Not wanting it to just be for his sake.  
“Baby it’s not like I’ve never bottomed before, I did do it for 10 years, and I enjoyed it for 10 years” A hand on the side of Gio’s face as he leant in to kiss him tentatively. “I want to give it another go for us. There’s no harm in trying” Stroking his thigh “I want you and I want to make you feel good”  
“You want to do this here?” He whispered with a smile.  
Max blushed “Yeah look I know it’s not ideal, but it’s going to be a couple weeks till we’re alone again, and I want you now baby” Caressing his jaw.  
“I want you too” Gio said as he laid him back down and kissed him slowly, feeling the slight stubble that was already coming through on the side of Max’s face after just one day. Even though Gio hated that the hair on his own face was still not gone after all the laser treatments, he did love it on Max. Gio let out a light hum as Max bit at his lip. Their mouths moved perfectly after all this time together that it was so natural and tender. He ran his hands over Max’s body as he caressed every inch of him, his leg up on Gio’s hip, the younger man pulling them as close together as possible. They each reached into the other’s underwear, both already hard. They were in perfect synchronization, Gio letting out a hummed moan as he moved his mouth to Max’s jaw and neck. Max bit down on his lip, his breath getting rushed when Gio reached around to help prepare him. Max leant into his shoulder, his hips rolling ever so slightly against Gio as he kissed his shoulder. Gio smiled at the reaction, kissing the delicate skin at the base of Max’s neck where a small bruise was starting to come up on his light skin where Gio had gotten a little carried away in the moment.   
“I think, I think I’m ready” Max said breathlessly. Gio put a hand around the back of his neck and brought him back to his lips. He got up, taking off Max’s underwear and grabbing a bottle of lube out of his backpack, throwing it and a small towel on the bed before removing his own underwear. Suddenly his sense of urgency left as he looked at Max. He stood him up, turning them around and sitting back on the bed against the headboard with Max straddling his lap. Max held his face as he leaned down to kiss him long a steady as Gio wrapped his arms around Max’s waist, pulling their torso’s together.Gio slicked himself and Max, bringing him forward, Max sitting up on his knees against him, looking down as Gio showered his chest with kisses. Max lowered himself back, both of their breaths hitching at the new sensation. Gio watched as Max’s face scrunched up briefly, his chest inflating in a deep breath before his expression relaxed again.   
“Easy, easy” Rubbing Max’s waist and thighs reassuringly. “There we go babe” As Max lowered himself the rest of the way slowly, Gio’s head rolled back with his eyes fluttering shut at the feeling around him. Max stifled a wincing whine, giving himself a minute for his body to get used to the feeling once again. Max rocked his hip gently, a loud moan from Gio hushed by Max’s hand quickly covering his mouth, the younger queen’s eyes were wide looking back at him.  
“Baby your parents are on the other side of that wall. You have to be quiet” Max whispered, bringing his face close to his and removing his hand.  
Gio grabbed his chin. “Make me” His voice was commanding, his eyes dark and hungry. Max was stunned for a moment before he was pulled into a hasty and passionate kiss, rolling his hips against him as Gio grabbed at him over and over, massaging his ass and hips and thighs. Max’s head leant back as Gio moved down to his neck, holding his head there as he leant his head down on Gio’s and their hands ran over each other’s back in a locked embrace. He wanted Max as close to him as physically possible, to hold him there while he still had him. He worked his way back up to Max’s lips and their kiss began to slow down in time with their hips, relishing the moment and these new feelings they were experiencing together. Gio tried to muffle a moan by sucking and biting down on Max’s shoulder, the older man scratching at his back as they both got closer and closer to the edge.  
“Lay back, I told you I want to make you feel good” Running his hands down Gio’s chest as he reclined back on the bed. Max’s head was soon leaning back as his hips moved up and down, his vision almost blacking out at the feeling both inside his body and the feeling of Gio’s strong grip on his hip.   
“Baby I’m-” His face scrunching up before he could get the words out, clenching his jaw as he came. Gio let out a stifled moan as Max tightened around him, his hips bucking down on him involuntarily, almost enough to send him over as well. He sat up, leaning Max back ever so slightly.  
“Hmmm Oh fuck, Max-” Max covered his hand with his mouth, silencing the loud groan as Gio finished, slumping back on the bed. He reached up to run his hands across Max’s chest, the two of them smiling like idiots. Max got off him slowly and grabbed the towel to clean himself, Gio looked down at torso and laughed. “Even when I’m the top I end up under you having to wipe my stomach down” Max leant over and cleaned him up for him, gently kissing him.  
“I really liked that” He whispered against Gio’s lips, discarding the towel into the pile of their clothes on the floor and resting his hand on Gio’s chest.  
“Me too” Smiling and running his thumb over Max’s cheekbone “So have I made a vers out of you yet?” Both chuckling as Max put his head down on Gio’s shoulder.  
He kissed him once more, this kiss even more gentle and longer than the last. “I think you just might have” Planting one more kiss and smiling at him.   
“You know what this means right?” Gio asked.  
Max rested his head on his hand on Gio’s chest. “what?”  
“You have to stop saying you haven’t bottomed since 2016” Giving him a cheeky kiss on the cheek before rolling out from under him and standing up.  
Max sat up. “You’re real proud of yourself right now aren’t ya” Watching as Gio found and put his underwear back on.  
“What would give you that idea?” A grin plastered on his face from ear to ear. Max stood up and pulled his underwear up. “Thank you for this by the way”  
Max stopped, adjusting the band on his boxers. “Baby it was, quite literally, my pleasure” Reaching up on his toes to kiss him before the two of them got into bed, Gio cuddling into Max comfortably, Max nuzzling his cheek against his hair. “I love you baby” Kissing his forehead.  
Gio smiled in the darkness “I will never get sick of hearing you say that”  
“Good” Rubbing Gio’s arm “I’m never going to stop saying it” Finding his chin in the dark and lifting it with one finger until their lips met “I love you”  
“I love you too” He whispered back against his lips, nestling down and quickly falling asleep to the rhythm of Max’s breath.

The sun was pouring in around the edges of the curtains when Gio woke up, Max’s arms still wrapped around his waist. He looked at the clock on the bedside table, it was past 10:30 in the morning. “Ah shit” He murmured, turning in Max’s arms.   
“Babe” He whispered, his hand on Max’s chest, but he didn’t wake up “Babe” Slightly louder as he stroked his arm, garnering a groan from Max.   
“How much sleep did we get?” Rubbing his eyes before opening them and smiling at the fact that Gio was the first thing he got to see in the morning, running his hand down Gio’s back.  
“Like 12 hours” Laying his head against Max’s chest.  
“Never feels like enough” The two of them almost falling back asleep as they lay there in the warm bed. “What time is your family getting here?” Max asked, trying to keep them awake, knowing that if they didn’t get up right now they would sleep all day.  
Gio rolled away from him and sat up “Like 12”   
“We should probably get up then” Gio nodding. They went through their things trying to find something they could throw on and quickly run downstairs in. “Can I borrow this?” Gio asked, holding up one of Max’s sweaters.   
“Do you even have to ask?” Gio already pulling it over his head as Max pulled on some flannel pajama pants and a blue long sleeve shirt. They went downstairs, the kitchen already smelling amazing.  
“Oh I thought the two of you would never join us” Gina said as she continued to prepare their lunch.   
“Sorry mom” Gio said, kissing her on the cheek and going to grab a cracker from the cheese platter she was making.  
Gina slapped his hand “Hey, everyone’s gonna be here soon, you two need to go get ready. Like now”  
Max finished the glass of orange juice he was holding and rinsed the glass out “In that case I’m going to go have a shower”  
“And I’m going to go draw an eyebrow on” Both of them turning and going back up the stairs just as fast as they had come down.  
Francesca went into the kitchen to help her mom by setting the table “What do you think the chances are that Max is still quicker than Giovanni at getting ready?”  
“I thought this year would have taught you to have some faith in your brother” Gina said, checking on the turkey. “I’ll bet you he’s down here first”  
David scoffed “Honey that’s not a fair bet, Max is definitely going to be ready first” The family laughing and getting everything sorted, knowing their guests would be there any minute. 

20 minutes later Max came back into the kitchen “My mom and sister just checked in so they’ll be here in an hour” He said, “Anything I can help with?” rolling the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows.   
“10 BUCKS!” Francesca called out from the other room, popping her head in to check that Max had come in alone “YES! Told you mom”   
“Yeah yeah” Taking a $10 note from her purse and handing it to her daughter. Max looked at her questioningly. “How far along is he?” She asked, Max catching on quick to what their bet had been and laughing.   
“He was figuring how he wanted to tuck his shirt when I left so he should be down soon, unless he changes shirts again” grazing from the few platters that Gina had laid out on the countertop.   
“Did you two sleep well?” She asked as Max grabbed the assortments of dips from the fridge.  
Max smiled while he was still turned away from her, thinking about the night they had just spent together “Yeah, best sleep I’ve had in a long time” Turning and putting everything on the counter. “No innuendo either”   
Watching as Gina sighed a laugh. “Even in Gio’s old bed, that mattress is way too soft for me”  
“Hey any bed is better than the tour bed beds and back stage couches I’ve been sleeping on. Don’t even get me started on sleeping on planes”  
Gio came into the kitchen “I’d have to sleep for a month to catch up on all the sleep I’ve lost in the past few months” Resting his arms around Max’s shoulders and leaning into his side as Max wrapped his arms around his waist.  
They shared a quick kiss, still on a romantic high from the night before. Or maybe it was just the feeling they had when they actually got to be together at all “You still don’t look like you’ve missed an hour of sleep” Rubbing Gio’s ribs.  
“It’s all sheet masks and concealer babe” Shaking his head and rolling his eyes.  
“Or you’re just perfect” Max whispered. They were both smiling as they just stood there, casually holding on to each other  
“How does Jordan put up with you two” Francesca said, grabbing a plate off the bench to take to the dining table.  
“He doesn’t” The two of them and Gina all said in unison, chuckling as the doorbell rang.   
Gina rushed off excitedly to get the door as Gio squeezed Max a little tighter “You ready?” He asked, trying to gauge how Max was feeling as he looked into his eyes.   
“I’m ready” Rubbing Gio’s arm “Are you ready?” Knowing that eventually that door would ring and it would be his mom and sister, and how nervous Gio was to have them there for Thanksgiving with his entire family. Gio just had time to nod as his aunts came into the room hollering and grabbing at the two of them. As more and more of the family showed up they felt themselves talking on repeat. The same introductions, the same responses to how cute they looked together or nag at them about why they hadn’t met Max yet, even though these were relatives Gio would see once a year or less. Gina was leading Max around the room with Gio trailing close by in case he needed to step in for any reason. “Isn’t he was cutest, and he’s so smart too, Giovanni really did well with this one” Gina would say “Oh and he’s so talented, I have to show you videos of his performances” Proudly showing off Max to the whole family. Max’s sister texted him as they pulled up outside the house.  
“Gio” He called across the room “They’re here” Gesturing to the door. Gio stopped himself by the mirror at the front door, quickly fixing his hair even though there was nothing to be fixed. “Baby” Max said, breaking him out of his panicked focus “They’re going to love you even with a hair out of place” Taking his hand and walking outside. Max’s sister rushed over to give him a hug, Gio standing back a little to give the siblings their reunion, his sister jumping to Gio next. “Hey Giovanni!” Sylvia said, hugging him as Max went over to his mother who was still at the curb “Nice to finally meet you without the wig on” Laughing as Gio smiled back at her.  
Max walked his mom over to them “Giovanni! let me get a good look at you, I’m not completely blind yet” Always one to have a good sense of humor about her condition. She took Gio’s hand, leaning in close to look at him out of drag in person for the first time “Oh you’re even more gorgeous than Maxwell said” Squeezing his hand, making Gio blush.  
“That’s not possible mom” Max smiling at how well this was already going.  
Gio bent down to give her a hug “How’ve you been Mia?”  
“Better now that I get to see the two of you together without the ladies present for a while” Max took Gio’s hand, the group walking back into the house to repeat the cycle of introductions once again.

The lunch went well, in fact it went better than anyone could have hoped. There was never an uncomfortable moment, conversation flowed well, everyone was respectful of everyone. Max and Gio sat next to one another, holding hands for most if not all of the meal. After lunch Max was being pulled around the room to talk to Gio’s aunts, uncles and cousins, Max’s mom and sister were having fun talking with and getting to know Gio’s parents. Everything seemed so nice as Gio stood in the kitchen with a glass of wine. He heard a whimper from the front room. “You okay Stella?” He said, stepping over the gate that was keeping her at bay. She was a bit of an excitable dog so they had kept her in the study when people were over. Gio didn’t know how long he had been playing with her when he took his phone out and started his Instagram Live. First his mom came in to see what he was up too, jumping in on his Live for a few minutes before going back to the guests. Max got the notification that ageofaquaria had started a Live Video and smiled, having been looking around the room for where he had gone.   
“Sorry you’ll have to excuse me for a moment” Offering his apologies to 2 of Gio’s aunts as he went to look for him. “There you are” Max said, appearing in the doorway and stepping over the gate “HI STELLA” he said excitedly as the little dog ran over from where she had been playing with Gio and jumped up at him. Max picked her up and snuggled her against his chest as she tried to lick his face. He sat down next to Gio, putting Stella back down on the ground as Gio threw a toy across the room. “You still live?” Max asked.  
“Mmm Hmm, say hi to the people” Holding up his phone more.  
“Hi people” Leaning his head on Gio’s shoulder as he wrapped his arms around his waist, Stella jumping up into Gio’s lap as she chewed on the stuffed toy. “Oooo, hang on, here baby, 2 seconds” Turning Gio towards him “Stella’s trying to snatch your eyebrow” Carefully fixing the light smudging under his eyebrow, his fingers lingering on Gio’s face and holding his cheek “Perfect” He whispered, smiling back at him, the two of them off in their own little world momentarily before Max leant in for a quick peck. “We’re still on live baby” Chuckling as they both remembered they were being watched by thousands of people.  
“Oh shit, we should probably get goi-” Getting distracted by a comment “Yes you all should get someone who looks at you the way we look at each other” Smiling sweetly as Max kissed his cheek. “Ok bye, happy thanksgiving, love you all MWAH! Say bye babe”  
“Byyyyye” Holding up Stella and waving her paw at the phone before Gio ended the Live. Max got up off the floor and sat in the arm chair.  
Gio followed, sitting on his lap as he lay against him and brought his knees up, Max stroking his leg while Gio rested his head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry my family are suffocating you” Looking up at him with a hand on his chest.  
Max kissed his forehead “They’re not suffocating me, they’re going to be my family too soon anyway. May as well get in their good books” Winking at him. “But it’s nice to have a minute away with you” Gio smiling and leaning in to kiss him for a few moments “How are you feeling about everything with my family?” He asked, rubbing Gio’s leg.  
“I think it’s going really well” He beamed “I really like your mom and sister”  
Max chuckled “I think they really like you too” Kissing him gently before Stella made the leap onto Gio’s lap.  
“Woah, hey girl be careful, you’ll hurt yourself” Stella quickly calming down and settling into a little ball as the two of them pat her. “Can we get a puppy one day?”  
Max smiled and nodded “Was that ever even in question?” They were both such dog lovers, and both of them knew the other desperately wanted a dog even though they also knew they couldn’t have a dog with such a crazy touring schedule. It wouldn’t be fair to the puppy. “So do you want the puppy or the baby first?” Smirking as Gio took his chin in his hand to kiss him.  
“Giovanni! Max!” Gina called out.  
“In here mom!” He called back, his mom appearing as he put Stella back on the ground before she could run over to the little white gate. Gina smiled at the two of them.  
“Needed a minute away?” She asked sweetly, she couldn’t imagine how much this could be for both of them, especially since they worked so hard and were already so exhausted. They both nodded. “Well most of the family are about to leave so you’ve almost made it through the day Max”  
“Oh thank god” Looking up to the heavens comically as Gio got off his lap. The two of them went out and said their goodbyes to the aunts and uncles and cousins.

They were able to convince Max’s mom and sister to stay for dinner that night, even though it didn’t take much convincing. They all ended up in the living room playing games and sharing stories about when the boys were little. Max’s mom was seated between Gio’s parents, their sister’s bonding over all the fights they would have with their brother’s when they were younger. Max and Gio were sat on the opposite side of the coffee table in front of the fire with Max’s head on Gio’s shoulder as they watched their family. “I love you” Gio mouthed, turning his head to face Max, who mouthed “I love you too” back.  
“Well this day has been an absolutely perfect day” Mia said, looking around the room. “You have been lovely hosts” Holding one of Gio’s parent’s hands in each of hers. “I couldn’t ask for a better family for Maxwell to be joining” Looking between Gina and David.   
“Same goes for us with Giovanni and the two of you” David said, squeezing Mia’s hand. “You’re just as much a part of our family as your son is” Smiling at Max, the entire room beginning to tear up. Max let out a tearful chuckle as he looked at everyone’s wet eyes.  
“Maxwell? Are you crying?” Mia asked  
“If you can’t see it it’s not happening” Max quipped back, trying to steady his voice. The Heller’s laughing with Gio and his family joining in once they realized Mia also found it funny. Losing your sight wasn’t a funny thing, but Mia didn’t want this to be something sad and pitiful, rather encouraging her family to joke and be casual. Her sight was going to leave her regardless, why indulge the pity party.  
“Well what I could see all day was that the two of you are very in love, and I’m so happy I got to see that” The entire room smiling, knowing that all the stress about today was worth it.  
“I hate to break up the lovefest but we should probably get back to the hotel, we have a fairly early flight in the morning” Sylvia said  
“I’ll drive you back” Max said, getting up.  
“It’s fine we’ll just call a cab or an uber” Sylvia said, also getting up.  
“I didn’t not drink all evening to let you catch a cab on thanksgiving. That is if I can borrow your car Gina”  
“Of course” She said without hesitation “I’ll go get the keys out of my bag” Going out of the room and coming back a few moments later, tossing Max the keys.  
“I’ll come with you, it’s been a while since we’ve gone on a drive together” Gio having missed the small mundane aspects of everyday life together the most.  
Mia and Sylvia said their thanks and goodbye’s to the Palandrani’s before Max drove them back to the hotel. They talked the entire ride there, Mia gushing about how nice Gio’s family were and how she hoped they would be able to stop by for a Hanukah dinner this year or the next, aware that Gio and Max’s schedule’s didn’t often line up around the holidays.   
“It was so good to see you again” Sylvia said, giving them both a hug outside the front of the hotel.  
Mia hugged Max first, telling him how proud she was of him and how thankful she was that they had decided to do this. “I really do mean it when I say I couldn’t ask for a better family for Maxwell to be joining” Holding Gio’s hands “I can see why he’s so in love with you, I’ve never seen him so happy”  
Gio whispered a “thank you” As Mia brought him in for a tight hug before they said their farewells and the two of them went back into the hotel. Gio grabbed him into a tight embrace as Mia and Sylvia got out of eyesight, his tears leaving little spots on the shoulder of Max’s shirt as Max kissed his cheek over and over again.  
“Happy tears?” He said, reaching up and wiping the drips from Gio’s cheek.  
Gio just smiled back at him, letting the tears run down his face as he nodded “Very happy tears” holding Max’s face in his hands and leaning into him for a long kiss.  
“Come on baby” Max said, barely parting their lips “Let’s go home”

By the time they got back everyone was either already in bed or getting ready for bed, Gina having made sure she was up to say goodnight to them.  
“I thought you were out of underwear?” Max said as he looked Gio over as he undressed in front of him “I’m sorry is that a Versace jockstrap?” Raising an eyebrow at him from the bed where he was sitting down to take off his socks.  
“Mmm hmm, you liiiike?” Turning and looking over his shoulder at him.  
“Of course I do” Reaching out and running his hand over the curves of Giovanni’s body “but when did you get that?”   
“In Milaaaan” He drawled out “When I was shopping with Jordan” Leaning down to kiss him.  
“You mean FOR Jordan” He smirked  
Gio rolled his eyes playfully “He earned a present. Besides we weren’t just shopping for him and me, I also got you something” Going over to his suitcase and taking out 2 Versace bags. He was smiling like a small child as he passed Max the gifts. Max was apprehensive as he opened the bag, taking out the black and white shirt with little studded crystals on the collar and blue panels in the arms.   
“Awww I love it” He said, smiling at the shirt. Of course Gio would know how to shop for him and find something he would like but never pick for himself.  
“Really?” Gio asked, knowing that the bathrobe was even a stretch for Max when it came to designer clothes, especially if it was anything ornate like Versace tended to be. “Because I knew you would never wear most of the things in there and I know this isn’t exactly subtle but I thought maybe it would be something nice to wear out to nice restaurants for date nights but if you don’t-”  
“Baby” Putting a hand on Gio’s knee to stop his nervous rambling “I really do love it” Opening the second bag and taking out the colorful sweatshirt “Oh ok I REALLY love this one” Standing up and pulling it on immediately, it fit perfectly, just loose enough that it was comfortable but fitted enough that it didn’t look big on him.   
“I thought you’d like that one” So pleased that Max liked it as much as he had hoped.  
Max stepped closer to him “How long till you steal this one too?” Leaning down and kissing a proud Giovanni.  
“I know you love it when I take your clothes” Running his hands down Max’s abdomen as he took off the sweatshirt and put it back in the bag.   
“I love it when I actually get to see how cute you look wearing them” He lay down next to Gio, the younger man crawling on top of him. Max hadn’t thought about the last time he saw Gio curled up on the couch or standing in the kitchen in his shirt, it had been too long. He traced circles on the small of Gio’s back as he rested his head on Max’s chest. “Come with me on tour, just for a few days”  
Gio looked up at him sympathetically “You know I want to but I have a meeting in New York tomorrow”  
“Then meet me in Michigan the next day” Placing his hand on Gio’s over his heart “I miss you. I miss spending every moment of every day with you”  
Gio looked up at him, he couldn’t say no to that feeling, he knew that feeling all too well. He leant his head on Max’s peck “I miss that too, more than anything” Giovanni kissed his chest, pausing for a moment as he rethought his schedule and smiled “ok, I’ll be your little drag husband for the week” He reached up and kissed Max, who was now smiling from ear to ear at the thought of getting a few extra days together. “I love you”  
“I love you too” Pulling him back in. Gio put a leg over him so he was well and truly on top of him now. Max ran his hands Gio’s back, light pressure over his muscles as Gio arched his back.  
“Hmm hang on” Gio said when Max pulled at the band of his underwear.  
“What?” Max asked, confused as Gio rolled off of him and removed them himself, throwing the small amount of fabric at his open suitcase on the other side of the room. “I thought you liked it when I undressed you?” Smirking mischievously, a hand on his lower back, as Gio moved back and kissed his neck.   
“Hmmm I do” Trailing up to his jaw “but that jock cost a lot of money and we don’t need it to join your list of casualties…yet” Giggling sweetly.  
Max chuckled “Twice. That has only happened twice”  
“Three times actually” Bringing their lips together “But who’s counting”  
Max turned them over so he was looking down at him as Gio lifted his leg onto his hip while Max ran his hand down the entire side of Gio’s naked body from his ribs, down over his waist and hip, settling under his thigh “And I’d do it again” with a devilish grin.  
“I’m not going to stop you” Smirking and pulling Max back down into a heated kiss before parting to correct himself “Unless it’s the Versace” Max just laughed as he rolled Gio on top of him. He could respect the Versace, though if Gio kept this up he couldn’t make any promises.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 weeks. They hadn't had 2 weeks together in such a long time. In this holiday break Max and Gio take another step in their journey as a couple, and also get some valuable time together where they can fall back into their normal routine that they loved so dearly.  
> xx Crackalack
> 
> (Also yes this could probably have been 2, even 3, chapters. I'm bad at cutting down)

“Maxwell Heller are you about to fly to London?” Gio asked as Max struggled to hold the phone to his ear as he tried to hand over his boarding pass while holding his carryon in the other hand.  
“What makes you say that?” He said, trying to play it off.  
Gio laughed as he heard the woman at the desk on the other end of the phone wish Max a safe flight. “Maybe because Play Louisville just tweeted that you had to cancel tonight and Monet’s going to do your gig instead” Smiling as he heard Max curse under his breath.  
Max sighed “Well it was meant to be a surprise”  
“You were going to fly all the way to London to surprise me on New Year’s Eve?” He cooed grinning from ear to ear.  
“I mean that was the idea, but I guess I forgot that venues have to announce gig changes to the public” Shrugging as he was shown to his seat. Rolling his eyes at himself for not thinking about that detail while making this whole plan.  
“I’m really excited that you’re coming babe, didn’t think I’d get to kiss you at midnight” They were both silent, knowing the other was smiling on the other end “What time do you get in? I can come get you at the airport”  
Max smiled at the runway outside the window “I get in at 3:40pm on New Year’s Eve”  
“I’ll be there” Gio said without hesitation, writing the time down on the little hotel note pad next to his bed “Have a safe flight babe, I love you”  
“See you soon baby, love you too” Maybe it wasn’t so bad that Gio knew that he was coming to London, it meant that they could spend more time together on New Years Eve rather than Max surprising him at the last minute, and god did he miss him.

It may have been the fastest Max had gotten himself through baggage claim and customs, he guessed that not flying with other queens and a bunch of drag really sped up the airport process. Gio was waiting right at the doors when Max stepped out, smiling with open arms as Max rushed over into his embrace.  
“Surprise” Max said as he craned his head up slightly to Giovanni who giggled before bringing their lips together softly.  
“The best surprise I could have asked for” Gio took Max’s suitcase, it being so strange to see Max with just 1 suitcase and 1 carry on after all these months of carting 2 people’s worth of things around the globe. Their hands didn’t part until they got to the hotel.  
“When do we need to head off to the venue?” Max asked as he put his suitcase by the bed.  
Gio looked at the clock, it was just after 5pm. “Ummm we leave in like an hour, we’re getting ready at the venue tonight”  
“Unless you’re Kameron” They both said in unison, setting off laughter in both of them. “Exactly” Gio said with a wink, pulling Max down onto the freshly made hotel bed.  
Max wrapped his arms around Gio’s waist as he lay next to him, pulling them close to one another, raising a hand to stroke the side of his face “Anything I can help you with?”  
“I got everything ready this morning” Leaning in for a quick peck in Max’s arms “guess I’m getting used to not having an assistant these days” A weak smile and quick raise of his brow.  
Max rubbed his bicep “How’s that going? I know I asked at Christmas…and like every day before that until you and Jordan made up but, how are you holding up?” Max had been worried about him since everything went down with Jordan. 

*

He would never forget sitting in the dressing room when Gio called him, sobbing, a mixture of sadness and anger.  
“Gio, baby baby what’s happened?” He said, sounding so worried into the phone that the other girls on the tour snapped their heads towards him. Monet, Vanjie and Naomi got everyone out of the dressing room, Vanjie going to the promoters to let them know that Cracker wouldn’t be at the meet and greet tonight in a bid to get him and Gio at least an hour on the phone because of how serious Max’s voice sounded.  
“I fired Jordan! I fucking fired Jordan” Gio cry yelled over the phone.  
Max didn’t really know what to say, looking over to Monet, who could hear what was being said and who’s eyebrows had shot up as equally high as Max’s.  
“Are you ok? Tell me what’s happened, I thought you were having an amazing night tonight at the fashion awards” Putting him on speaker in the now empty room, except for Monet, and going to Instagram to see if he could find anything.  
“I was having a good night, we were having a good night, it was a good night, it’s just, I can’t do this with him anymore, not when he’s like this, not when I need him to do more and he won’t, to be my assistant and he won’t, not when it’s this stressful and he just UGH you know him, you know what he’s like and I couldn’t stand it anymore. He’s off his face right now, I had to basically carry him into the hotel, I can’t keep doing this, it can’t be all about him all the time, he’s literally fucking with my entire career and everything I’ve built for myself and us when he does this” It had all poured out of Gio, the young queen not even taking a breath.  
“It’s ok baby, where is he now?”  
“I don’t know, in his room, out, I don’t know and I don’t care” He said as the tears kicked in again “He hates me but I had to, I had to Max”  
“I know you did. If you felt that’s what you needed to do then that’s what you needed to do” Curling up on one of the backstage couches as Monet left for the Meet and Greet while Gio continued to cry over the phone, wishing nothing more than to be able to be there with him to comfort him in person.  
“M-Max?” He said between sobs.  
“Yeah baby?” Willing to give him whatever he needed that he could give from an ocean away.  
“Can, can you stay on the phone? I need you”  
Max looked at the clock on the wall, the meet and greet was just starting and the show wouldn’t start for another hour after that “Yeah baby, I can do that. Why don’t you tell me about what happened” Kicking off his shoes can getting comfortable, able to calm Gio down and help talk him through his feelings before the show started. Gio was still angry with Jordan when Jordan made the decision the next morning to move to LA in February. He was mad at him for everything that had happened the night before, even though he knew maybe getting out of New York was the best thing in order for him to clean up his act. Luckily Austin was going to be flying in to meet Jordan and Gio the next day anyway, which Max was thankful for now that Jordan had ditched him and chosen to stay in London. Max felt like he was even more useless in making Gio feel better when Gio left Europe and continued his touring without an assistant, calling him every day to make sure he was ok. Max didn’t know exactly what happened for Gio and Jordan to patch things up, but what he did know was that it involved Linux, Austin, Harry and Joe keeping them in a room until they sorted everything out. According to a very proud Linux it took a few hours but ended in the two of them hugging and apologizing so whatever happened in that room, Max was thankful for it. It didn’t stop Jordan’s plans to move to LA but at least they were best friends again.

*

“I’m doing ok” Intertwining his finger’s with Max’s “It’s definitely reminded me of why I need an assistant” Giggling lightly as he sighed “But you’ve made it easier” Holding their hands to his heart.  
“Really?” Max asked as he felt the rhythm of Gio’s heart beating under his hand.  
“It would have been a lot lonelier if I didn’t have you a phone call away. Thank you for that” He had felt guilty about all the times he had called Max while he was getting ready or when he was just getting into bed.  
“Baby you don’t have to thank me” Closing the tiny gap between them to kiss Gio “It may come as a shock but I actually like talking to you every day Giovanni” Running his hand down to the small of his back to pull him against him.  
“Can we not talk about me not having an assistant anymore” His hand on the side of Max’s face, his thumb running over his cheekbone “like can we just enjoy the next 2 weeks” Smiling so sweetly that Max’s heart almost stopped beating. He leant in, his free hand travelling up to Gio’s jaw as they kissed. 2 weeks. 15 days. He was pretty sure they hadn’t had 15 consecutive days together since the show premiered.  
“You know I’m not going to let go of you for the next 2 weeks” Holding them only an inch apart.  
“I’m not gonna complain about that” Gio smiled, kissing him slowly.  
Max ran his hand down onto Gio’s ass, whispering low “How much time do we have left till your call time?”  
Giovanni smiled, looking over at the clock on the nightstand “I should probably jump in the shower before the show, don’t want to be all stinky at the meet and greet” He kissed him once more, letting them pause for a moment before leaning back “Wanna join me?” Smiling without looking away from Max’s lips.  
Max smirked “You don’t have to ask me twice” following Gio into the bathroom and leaving a trail of clothes behind them. He spun Gio around kissed him as the water warmed up, the younger man running his hands from his chest to the sides of Max’s face. Max turned them so he could run a hand under the water, it was perfect. He walked him back into the shower, the hot water hitting their cool skin. Gio kissed his cheek, pulling back with a smile, turning around and picking up his body wash. Max took it from his hands, squeezing some out onto his hand, watching Gio watch him before he started lathering him up. Gio did the same to him, each of them tracing over the curves and ridges of their bodies. Max brought Giovanni’s lips back to his when Gio ran his hand down his body and gently began to stroke him, biting a little at his lip. He wrapped his hand around Gio’s hardening erection, pressing him back against the cool tile walls. The longer Max’s hand was around him, the less he was able to focus on working his own hand on Max, his eyelashes fluttering and moaning lightly by Max’s ear. As he got closer he completely let go of Max, the older queen spinning him around to reach around him. He could feel Max, hard, pressed up against him as he tightened his hold around him and he came. Max held him up around the waist as Gio leant back into him, a smile on his face and his eyes closed in a state of ecstasy.  
“Happy I decided to fly in?” He said by Gio’s ear, making him chuckle lightly.  
Giovanni turned and began to kiss him long and slow once again “Oh very very happy” Giggling sweetly as he ran his hand down Max’s torso until his hand was around him again “And clearly you’re happy you came too”  
Max raised his hand and held Gio’s chin “Well I haven’t done that yet baby” His head rolling back with his hand still securely on Giovanni’s jaw as the younger man upped his pace and began to kiss his neck. Max put his hand on the back of his lover’s head, wanting him to keep kissing him as he brought him quickly to the edge. Gio pulled back to look at Max, knowing he was getting close as he watched his chest rapidly rise and fall. Max’s eyes were dark before Gio closed the gap between them again with a cheeky smirk. He slinked down onto his knees in the wide shower, Max adjusting the shower head away from him. It didn’t take long for Gio to finish him off, it was like he could work magic on him. “God you are good at that” Max said breathlessly as he stroked Gio’s hair.  
Gio stood up and kissed Max quickly “Oh trust me, I know I am” He picked up his body wash and actually started to clean himself, as much as he had wanted sex he also genuinely wanted to smell good for the meet and greet and show. Max took the bottle from him. He put a palm sized amount in his hand and lathered it up a bit before he started rubbing Gio’s back, lightly massaging his shoulders, feeling the muscles loosen and Gio lean back into him. “Mmmm even thinking about 2 weeks of back rubs makes me less tense” Max took his hands away “I didn’t say stop”  
Max laughed and rubbed his shoulders again “I don’t even know how someone gets this tense in a week”  
Giovanni turned and put his hands on the side of Max’s face “I guess I get all tense without you there” Leaning in to kiss him.  
“Hmmm” He hummed against Gio’s lips “Then someone’s going to get all the shoulder and back and foot rubs his heart could desire”  
He smiled at him so sweetly “See this is why I’m marrying you” Kissing him quickly “I love you”  
“Love you too” His hands lingering on Gio’s hips “Lets go get you ready superstar”

“Didn’t y’all see each other like 5 days ago?” Kameron said, swiping highlighter on the tops of her cheekbones “I can’t imagine what you’re like to be around after a month apart” Looking at them on the couch in the reflection of the mirror, Gio sitting on Max’s lap all curled up, their kisses so gentle as to try and not ruin Aquaria’s perfect nude lipstick. They both just smiled, Gio burying his pink wigged head into Max’s neck.  
“The two of you really are my favorite couple, still all over each other, still all cute” Kameron said as she reached for her boots.  
“5 minutes!” The promoter called, popping his head in the door.  
“I need to put clothes on” Gio whispered in the small space between his and Max’s lips, his hand casually resting on Max’s chest.  
“Do you have to?” Running his hands over Gio’s fishnet and tights covered legs, the younger man having been sitting on his lap in only the layers of tights and black high cut thong for the past 20 minutes.  
Gio got up, leaning down to a still seated Max “You get to take it all off later” He whispered with a cheeky smile and quick kiss.  
Asia laughed “Ok I love y’all but could you at least cool it a little while we’re still in the room. Some of us don’t have a fiancé who flew across the ocean just to kiss us” Hitting Gio on the thigh as he walked past to grab his boots and oversized hot pink jacket.  
“I know, not everyone is as lucky as me” Looking back over to Max who smiled back at him with a quick wink.  
Kameron caught their exchange as she sprayed her wig one more time. “Aqua you should just untuck at this point and get this over with” Laughing as she headed towards the stage. Asia grabbed her last earring, putting it on as she headed to the door. Max walked hand in hand with Gio, opting to watch this show from side stage as it had been so long since he’d seen an Aquaria performance in person. Asia and Kameron killed their numbers, Aquaria being the last one side of stage while the other 2 went back to the dressing room to get ready for the final number before midnight “And your winner of season 10”  
Gio did a quick turn to kiss Max “You got this baby”  
“I always do” Leaning in one final kiss before turning back to the stage just in time.  
“AQUARIA!”  
Max joined in with the screaming and applause of the fans during the performance. Every time he watched Gio perform he was so overwhelmed with how proud he was of him. With his number over Gio grabbed Max’s hand as they made their way back to the dressing room while a local queen took the stage. “HEY LOVEBIRDS!” Asia said popping her head out of the dressing room “Can y’all speed it up a little?” They got into the dressing room, Gio taking off his jacket as Max went into his bag to get the next outfit.  
“What is this?” Max said, taking out the black and white jumpsuit.  
Gio smirked “Just a little something new” Taking the jumpsuit from him and stripping down.  
“Cracker, I see you staring girl” Asia said as she adjusted her wig while she headed out to the stage, hearing Kameron’s track beginning to end. Gio looked in the mirror, catching Max looking him up and down. He threw the tights he had just taken off at Max, the fishnets hitting him in the face and falling into his lap.  
“What! I’m not allowed to check out my fiancé now?” Throwing them back at Gio.  
Gio smiled at him, catching the tights before they hit him. “No you’re definitely allowed to check me out all you want” reaching his hand out to Max, who got up and came over to him.  
“Good, I don’t plan on stopping” Bobbing down to kiss his shoulder up to his neck. Kameron walked in, grabbing a towel to wipe her sweat away and laughing at the two of them.  
“Ok ok Kam, we’ll cool it for a minute” Gio said, catching her eye. “Babe could you do me a faaavour” He said, looking up at Max, who raised an eyebrow at him “Could you get me a Vodka Redbull, pretty please” Batting his lashes.  
Max chuckled “Sure princess” Leaning in for a quick kiss and heading for the door.  
“Can you grab me one too?” Kameron asked as Max was about to step out of the room.  
“Are you the one sucking my dick?” He joked as he left the room, hearing Gio scream cackle and hit the table as he walked out to the bar.  
Kameron stifled a laugh “Oh my god, well we all know that 2 tops don’t make a bottom” Sitting down at her mirror.  
Gio paused, pulling the jumpsuit up to his waist “Mmmmhmmm” He hummed unconvincingly, not making eye contact with Kameron who immediately turned to him with wide eyes.  
“No, NO WAY! Cracker? YOU!? You’re a? Really?”  
Gio looked out of the corner of his eye with a coy smile, biting his lip “I’m not saying anything……but I’m not not saying anything if you know what I mean”  
Kameron’s jaw dropped, “So like always or are ya’ll-” Making a switching motion with her fingers. Gio winked, putting his black thigh high boots on, technically he wasn’t saying anything. Kameron looked back at the mirror with a “huh”, looking like everything she thought she had known was a lie. “Ok, ok, get it” High fiving Gio. “So much for the only Vers I am is Versace” Quoting Aquaria right back at him.  
“Oh honey I’m Vers and Versace” Dramatically doing up the zipper on the side of his boots with his leg perfectly stretched out in the air.  
Kameron laughed “oh my god Asia is gonna gag”  
Just at that moment Max came back into the room “Gag over what?” Placing 2 of the drinks in his hands on the countertop for Kameron and Gio and taking a sip of the gin and tonic he had gotten for himself.  
“You bottoming” Kameron said so nonchalantly that Max almost spat his drink.  
Max looked at Gio who had turned away in shock at what Kameron had just said, his eyes wide as he doubled over in his chair in an attempt to hold back his laughter. “In my defense” he said turning back to face Max “I didn’t say anything, I just didn’t not say anything” Pulling his arms into the jumpsuit and standing to pull the zipper up to the middle of his chest. “Are you mad at me?” Pouting his full lips as Max walked over to him, putting his hand on Max’s shoulders and rubbing them lightly, knowing full well there was no way Max could be mad at him tonight.  
“If you didn’t look so good in that jumpsuit I might be” Running his hands down to his ass “This, this is doing it for me” Turning Gio around to check him out, setting off giggles in the younger queen, pulling him back into him and wrapping his arm around his waist.  
“Well I’m guessing Cracker’s the top tonight” Kameron said, still not able to believe that there was any possibility Max wouldn’t be.  
“You’re right, but you might want to be a little nicer seeing as I was going to ask you if you wanted to be one of my groomsmen” Settling them on the arm of the couch, Gio on his lap  
It took Kameron a moment. “Wait what?” Turning from her own reflection.  
“He was supposed to wait till after the show when we gave you your Save The Date cards” Gio said smirking, looking back at Max and kissing him on the cheek.  
“I thought maybe it might be best to ask without Asia here. So, Kam, will you be one of my groomsmen?” Resting his head on Gio’s shoulder.  
Kameron was shocked “Me?”  
Max lifted his head, Gio getting off his lap to finish getting ready. “Yeah, we wanted the wedding parties to be even and I had 1 more spot left and you’ve been so good to both of us, and I love you so much, you’re my sister. So?”  
Kameron got up and gave him the biggest hug. “Oh my God of course I will”  
Gio smiled at the two of them, happy that they both had such a good relationship with Kameron. Kameron and Max had really hit it off during filming, and she had been such a good friend to both of them on the road. Apart from being the biggest supporter of their relationship, Kameron was the one to swap gigs so they could get a night together, the one who would make the other girls not give Gio a hard time when he would rather stay in his room on the phone to Max instead of going out after the gigs. It was right to have her in their wedding.  
Asia came back into the room, patting herself down and quickly going to grab some powder to get rid of the shininess after her number. “What did I miss?” She said, taking in Gio looking at Kameron and Max hugging with the biggest smile. The 4 of them heading to the door again to get back to the stage for the midnight countdown.  
“Oh I’m going to be one of Cracker’s groomsmen and Aquaria tops now” leaving the room as Asia checked her different angles for shine.  
“Wait WHAT?!” Putting the powder puff down as Gio and Kameron left the room.  
“Yeah it’s a long story” Max said following them out.

Max was standing side stage as the girls and Todrick got ready for the 10 second countdown to midnight, each of the queens holding a bottle of champagne.  
“10!” Gio turned his head to the side to see Max on the side lines.  
“9!”  
“8!” He passed Todrick his bottle.  
“7!”  
“6!” Running over and grabbing Max’s hand, pulling him onto the stage, there was no way he was going to not kiss him right on midnight.  
“5!”  
“4!”  
“3!”  
“2!” The audience started screaming even louder when they realized that Max was there as Gio pulled him into the middle of the stage.  
“1!” It was almost like the room disappeared as Gio put a hand on either side of Max’s face while Max held him around the waist.  
“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Their lips met in front of the screaming crowd, the volume only getting louder as Kameron, Asia, and Todrick popped their bottles and sprayed the couple with the contents of all 3 bottles. Gio laughed against Max’s lips as they barely parted, going in for a second, third and fourth kiss in the mix of music, confetti and champagne. Sure, they had kissed in photos and videos and on live streams but they hadn’t really kissed on stage since the day they went public with their relationship. And they didn’t care, if it weren’t for the fact that they were soaking wet with champagne that was dripping down their faces onto their lips, they would have forgotten where they were. They went down to the lower portion of the stage where everyone was dancing for the rest of the song. “Alright everyone have a good night! Happy New Year! Let’s get this party started!” Todrick called out as they started to leave the stage, the host for the night listed off all the queen’s names so the crowd could give them one more applause.  
“AND AQUARIA” Gio taking center stage for his final bow, waving at the crowd and blowing kisses. Max came up behind him and scooped him up into his arms, Gio stretching a leg and an arm out and waving as they walked off the stage. Max was the first one down the stairs, turning and lifting Gio off the 2 short steps, spinning them around a few times in the empty hallway. He put him back down on the ground, the two of them pausing as they looked at each other, their smiles slowly dropping as they looked between their eyes and lips. Max pushed Giovanni up against the wall, their mouths crashing together desperately. He ran his hands over the slippery fabric until he was at his ass, having marveled at it all night since Gio had gotten changed. Gio hummed a little, pulling his lips away to move Max’s down to his neck. He moaned a little as Max kissed at the skin, making the older man smirk and move back to kiss him again.  
“HEY CRACKER!, AQUARIA!”  
“SAY HI LADIES” Asia called out, standing next to Kameron down the hallway, their phones pointed at them. Max rolled his eyes as Gio put his head down on his chest, chuckling. Max took him by the hand and walked them back to the dressing room with a smug smile at the cameras.  
“Cracker you got a little lipstick…everywhere” Kameron said, zooming in on him.  
“I swear if I did this any of the times I caught you making out with a guy I’d never hear the end of it” Max said, hitting Kameron in the shoulder as the 4 of them went into the dressing room.  
“You two chose to get engaged, it’s open season” Finishing her story, tagging him and Gio and posting it online. Max grabbed a makeup wipe, he really did have lipstick everywhere.  
His phone vibrated on the table “You reposted it?” Turning to Gio who’s jumpsuit was now on his waist and who’s wig was sitting on top of his open suitcase.  
“What? It’s kinda hot” Smirking, proud of himself as Max opened the video for the first time.  
“Huh, ok, yeah, no that’s more than kinda hot” Reposting it himself.  
“We get it, the two of you are hot” Asia said, passing them both a glass of champagne “Happy New Year ladies, may 2019 be even better for me, Cracker, and Kameron. Aqua you’ve had a good enough year, we need to share it around” Making Gio start cackling.  
“Fair enough” He said, through his laughter.  
“To us” Kameron said with a soft loving smile, happy that she was getting to spend this moment with 3 of her close friends.  
“To us” they all said as they cheers’d their glasses before taking a sip and going to keep dedragging and packing their bags.  
“Hmmm so you two coming out with us tonight or…”  
“Kam, really girl?” Asia said with a knowing look.  
“I think we’re going to head back to the hotel” Gio said, wiping the makeup from his face “Finish up what we started in the hallway” Wiggling his brows one more time before wiping them away. Max reached up from where he was kneeling on the floor, trying to pack Aquaria back into the suitcase, and hit Gio’s butt as he walked past him.  
“You’re right it was a dumb question” Kameron said chuckling as he redid his boy eyebrows before he and Asia would go out for the rest of the night after dropping their bags back at the hotel.  
“Car’s ready when you are ladies” One of the promoters said, popping their head in.  
They looked between the 4 of them and shrugged, they were ready and Kameron could finish her brows in the car. As they zipped up their bags Gio remembered something.  
“Oh shit I almost forgot” Taking 2 silver envelopes out of his backpack.  
“Shit how did we forget that?” Max asked, surprised .  
Giovanni handed them each an envelope “I wanted to wait till you were here and it was officially the year we were getting married” Wrapping his arms around Max as they watched the two of them take the black and holographic cards out of the envelopes, still so happy with how they turned out.  
“December 28th! Ok I’m booking it out of my calendar as we speak” Kameron said, taking her phone out and adding their wedding in.  
“We’ll defiantly be there, oh my god I’m so happy for the two of you” Asia pulled them both into a hug.  
“Ok Ok” Max said, mildly suffocated “Car’s waiting”

They got back to the hotel, the 4 of them parting ways in the elevator. There was always something a little sad every time they had to say goodbye to their sisters, never really knowing when they would get to see each other next. Gio let them back into the hotel room, dumping everything on the floor. “I’m just going to take a quick shower” Gio said, leaning in and kissing Max gently.  
“Hmm, don’t take too long” His voice low as he felt Gio’s lips turn up against his.  
“I won’t” Turning and stripping off as he went to the bathroom. Max put the bottle of champagne that Kameron and Asia had left them with on the table, taking a moment to send his family and friends a quick Happy New Year text. He kicked off his shoes and undid his shirt, looking over himself in the mirror, hearing the shower turn off in the next room. Gio walked over to him, not bothering to put on clothes after he had dried himself off. He stood on his toes, putting one arm over Max’s shoulder and the other around his waist, running his hands over his torso. Max’s stomach tensed as Gio ran his hand over it. “What are you looking at babe?” He asked, kissing Max’s shoulder.  
“Did you know I gained 30 pounds since filming?”  
Gio paused, this sort of question was a bit of a trap. “Um, I mean sure your body is different since filming but so is mine. It’s been like 18 months”  
“Yeah but 30 pounds is a lot” Holding onto Gio’s hand to stop him.  
“I haven’t noticed it, unless it’s been muscle” Stroking his defined bicep “Cos I’ve defiantly noticed that” He whispered next to his ear, feeling some relief in seeing Max smile at their reflection. He turned him around, away from the mirror, and put his hands on Max’s shoulders. “I think you’re gorgeous” Kissing him when Max put his arms around his waist “Sexy” Barely parting their lips “Perfect” Going in for a third kiss but Max pulled away without removing his arms from around his waist.  
“I’m far from perfect baby, I know that, you don’t have to lie”  
Gio put his hand on Max’s cheek, holding his jaw and looking him in the eye “To me, you are perfect”  
Max was speechless, he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words “I love you so much”  
Gio smiled, leaning into kiss him “I love you too” Letting the words breathlessly come out as their mouths moved in perfect harmony “Now let me remind you how much I love your body” Mischievously smirking as he undid Max’s belt.

“Baby” Max whispered in Gio’s ear to try and wake him up “The movers are going to be here in a couple hours” Kissing next to his ear “you gotta get up so I can strip the bed” Giggling as Gio curled up into him with a groan. Max had let him sleep in even though he probably shouldn’t have. They had spent 3 amazing days in London together. It had been so long since they had done something as simple as having gone on a date. They went out to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They went to plays and to the tourist attractions they were always too busy to see. They finally got to be THAT normal couple on vacation. But in order to have these few days of fun, they had to move into their new apartment the day after they got back. Since Max had convinced Giovanni to come on tour with him after Thanksgiving, there hadn’t been as much time as they had planned for packing. They had gotten into New York at 10am, they had both been able to sleep on the plane and spent the day packing up everything that was left. Max was certain that if he had a dollar for every time Gio said something along the lines of “why do I still have this?” or “why did I even buy this?” He would have equaled Gio’s Drag Race winnings. By 8pm the travel and the work that went into packing had taken its toll on both of them. By the time Max had gone downstairs to grab their dinner, he came back to find Gio asleep on the couch. He woke him for dinner, and Gio had tried to stay awake, but he didn’t last long before Max was carrying him off to bed. It was only 9am but they still had things to do before the movers got there at 11.  
Gio pouted, Max kissing him and watching him smile as his eyes fluttered open, taking a minute to adjust to the bright light that was pouring through the windows now that the drapes had been taken off their bedroom windows. “Today’s the day” His voice still raspy.  
“Today’s the day” They were so excited, they had been so excited since the first time they stepped foot in the new apartment 3 months before. Gio got up and went to shower, Max heading down to their favorite corner coffee shop for the last time to grab them some caffeine to get them through the day. Bob, Monet, Katelyn and Jordan all came over to help them move, seeing as either Max or Gio had helped each of them move, some of them multiple times before. The movers arrived and through some form of chaos the dozens of tubs and boxes were taken downstairs and loaded into the truck. Their furniture left piece by piece, their couch, bedframe, and a few other miscellaneous pieces being taken to a separate truck to be donated. Jordan was taking their tiny little kitchen table, loading it into a car Austin had borrowed from a friend, Austin even stayed to help out with some of the heavier boxes. With so many people helping them out, everything was loaded into the truck in just over 2 and a half hours. Gio stood in the middle of his now empty apartment, it had been years since he saw it like this.  
“Weird isn’t it?” Max said, leaning against the front door. Gio turned, reaching out to him with a grabbing motion until Max came over to him.  
They held each other, turning slowly as they took in the sight of the vacant room. “Was it always this big?” Jordan asked, walking in and picking his bag off the floor.  
“I guess it was” It was incredible what space they would have had if there wasn’t beds in the living room when Gio and Jordan lived together, or when the room wasn’t half filled with 2 queens worth of drag.  
“Ready to go?” Max said, knowing that this was a really big step for Gio. It was his first apartment, the apartment that had made New York home when he first moved to the city. There was something bitter sweet about it for Max too. He had fallen for Gio here a year before they got together, it was their first home as a couple, it held a lot of memories.  
Gio took a deep breath and smiled “Yeah, I’m ready” Holding Max’s hand and walking out of the apartment for the last time.

“Smile you two” Katelyn said as she took a photo of the two of them. Max was carrying Gio who was kissing his cheek, Max determined to carry him over the threshold for the first time, in their new empty home before the boxes all started coming up in the elevator.  
“Did more shit arrive while the truck was driving over here” Jordan asked, carrying a small box past Gio and up the stairs to their drag room. Monet, Austin and Bob came in after him, all carrying boxes that were easily two or three time the size of the one Jordan had brought up.  
“Oooooo this place is NICE!” Monet said as she looked around the open plan room, putting a box of books down in the center of the room. “And that VIEW”  
“Mo we’re moving in” Bob said, placing a box next to the counter.  
“Dibs on the guest room!” Austin called as he looked into the empty room at the top of the landing that was going to be both a guest room and storage space for their more expensive and extravagant pieces.  
“Over my dead body” Max said as he took a large box marked as Gio’s Clothes to the bedroom. A little over an hour and a half later all the boxes were inside and the movers had brought up most of the furniture. Bob and Monet had to dash once everything was out of the truck. Gio and Max gave them the biggest hug, thanking them repeatedly for helping them out. They broke for lunch, the 5 of them that were left sat on the floor against the wall while they ate. Max got up as they were finishing their meals to let the delivery men in with new furniture. There was something so exciting every time something new showed up, like an extra piece was getting added to the puzzle. They had been able to find their new dining table and chairs and their new couch at the same store which meant that they were only waiting for 2 deliveries that day. While the first lot of delivery men were setting things up in the living area, Gio was on Austin’s shoulders in the main bathroom, determined to have colour changing lightbulbs while he bathed and in their bedroom. “You know we could have just bought a ladder?” Max said as he laughed at the doorway at the sight of Gio on Austin’s shoulders as the muscular man tried to keep them balanced.  
“Let’s just say he’s lucky he’s so light” Austin laughed. Him and Max hadn’t known each other for that long, he was a pretty quiet guy in comparison to Gio’s other friends. But he was one of Max’s favorites, and he was so happy he was going to be in the wedding party after how much he had been there for Gio in the past 8 months. Jordan and Katelyn went upstairs to do a little unpacking in the drag room, if any 2 people would know how they liked everything laid out it was Jordan and Katelyn. After helping Gio turn the bathroom and bedroom into a party, Austin got to work on plugging in all the electronics in the living room and setting them up for them. Max came back out of the hallway as Gio let the first lot of movers out. He stepped over to Gio, wrapping his arms around him as they looked at how their home was coming together.  
“Babe this is gonna sound so dumb but oh my god we have a dining table. A fucking 8 seat dining table” smiling ear to ear at the new wooden table and chairs.  
Max kissed him, so happy to see him so happy. “We’re movin’ on up” It was definitely a stark improvement from their tiny little table that could barely seat 4 people. Tt was almost too small for the 2 of them if the food wasn’t pre plated in the kitchen before it was served.  
“Alright you’re all set” The delivery guy said as the other 2 that came with him headed for the door. Max signed off the last form before looking over at Gio with a smirk. They went down the hallway to their bedroom.  
“Oh my god” Looking at the new soft, dark grey, bedframe next to their old side tables and dressers. He turned to Max, “It’s so perfect” Jumping up into his arms and letting Max lay him down on their bed. It was their old mattress, their old dressers, the old them amongst all the new.  
Max leant down to kiss him, Gio holding his face and smiling into the kiss. They parted, leaning their foreheads together. “Welcome home baby” 95% of their things still hadn’t been unpacked but it was already feeling like home. This was their home, it just felt right.  
“Max?” Katelyn called out.  
“IN HERE” He called back. Katelyn and Jordan came in, smirking at each other as they came in to find Max and Gio lying on the bed. They ran over and jumped onto the bed with them. Austin came in to see what all the noise was about, the 4 of them making room on the bed for him and laughing and talking for almost an hour before the other 3 had to leave. They didn’t have any food so they ordered in, still eating on the couch even though they had that beautiful brand new dining table sitting there next to them. Gio went to make their bed while Max got started on unpacking the kitchen. Even though it was freezing outside Max couldn’t help himself but to go out onto the patio and take in the view of the city at night.  
“You’re gonna catch a cold out here” Giovanni said, coming over to wrap his arms around him and rub his biceps as they looked out to Manhattan across the river. Max turned in Gio’s arms to face him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “What’re you thinking?” He asked, smiling at the way Max was looking at him.  
Max didn’t really know what to say. This was what they had dreamed about, what they had wanted since the beginning, the start of the next chapter for them. They were living their dreams together. Gio could tell what he was thinking, he was thinking all the same things. Max reached up and kissed him, Gio putting a hand on the small of Max’s back to pull him against him.  
After a few minutes Max pulled back, Gio followed after his lips, not wanting it to end just yet. They leant their foreheads together “Want to go break in that new bedframe?” Max’s voice low as their hearts raced.  
Gio nodded, being scooped up into Max’s arms before he could say anything. He carried him through the apartment and laid him down on their bed, taking off Gio’s shirt and his own. “Almost seems like a waste of your excellent bed making skills” Leaning down and holding himself up with a hand on either side of Gio’s head.  
“Fuck it I’ll do it again in the morning” Smiling as he reached up to pull Max down onto the bed and rolled them over to get on top of him, straddling his lap and kissing his neck. He rolled his hips against his lap, kissing at his neck. It wasn’t often that he could get lost in this moment, out of fear of it leaving a mark, and he wanted to seize the opportunity. Max brought their lips back together, moving them into the middle of the bed before pulling Gio’s sweat pants down enough to grab at his ass. Gio giggled, rolling off and taking his pants completely off as well as Max’s, no need for clothes to be at all in their way.  
He leant over with his ass in the air and ran his tongue along the length of Max’s already mostly hard erection, making the older man’s head fall back with a deep breath. He ran his hand through Gio’s hair, rubbing his thumb over the shorter hair on the back of his head as he bobbed up and down, gagging a little as he tried to take him deeper and deeper into his throat. Max ran his hand down from Gio’s head down his perfectly curved back to his ass. He grabbed roughly, almost kneading the muscle for a few moments before starting to tease him, able to see how hard Gio was also getting as his back began to arch more and he pushed back against his fingers. He moaned around Max, the vibrating sensation making Max’s hips twitch. Lifting Gio’s head, he brought them back into a kiss, the two of them kneeling on the bed and grabbing at each other as their arms held them strongly together. He pushed Gio down on the bed on all fours, kissing down Giovanni’s spine as the younger man reached over to the bedside table to grab some lube, sending chills over his skin. Of all the things they had unpacked, they had made sure the essentials were where they needed to be. He passed it back to Max, who poured it over both of them before beginning to tease him. Just as he entered Gio pushed back eagerly, both of them letting out a loud groan, Max digging his fingers into his hips.  
“Oh my god” He let out as Gio bit his lip and smiled.  
Max started off slow, making Gio hum lightly “mmmmm you’ve got more than that for me daddy” Turning back to look at him over his shoulder, almost challenging him. Max raised an eyebrow and pushed himself entirely in, making Gio’s head roll back. “Oh fuuuuck” He sped up, Gio moaning and groaning more and more, the sounds filling the room becoming more and more obscene from both of them. Max grabbed a fistful of Gio’s hair, pulling him back and sucking at his neck while going even faster, making the bed begin to shake “Mmmmmm” Gio moaned, almost whimpering as his head was pulled back and his back arched. They were both panting heavily, sweat beginning to drip down Max’s forehead. Gio gripped the bedsheets, losing the fight in trying to hold himself up and collapsing down “Don’t stop” he panted as his face pressed into the crisp sheets. Max turned him over, watching Gio’s erection almost quivering against his stomach, precum leaking onto his lower abs as Max did as he was told and didn’t stop, leaning down to kiss along his defined collarbone. Gio let out a muffled cry as he came, Max kissing down his neck as he felt the drops hit his chest, looking down at the mess on both of them before Gio pushed him back onto the bed. He repositioned himself so he was kneeling over his lap, lowering himself down again and riding him at an almost desperate pace. His body felt electrified, having not given himself a chance to fully come down. Max’s back began to lift off the bed, holding Gio down completely against his crotch as his nails dug into his hips and waist. Gio didn’t try and lift himself against Max’s grip, rather rolling his hips slow and hard. Max sat up and kissed him, running his lips over Gio’s lips, jaw, neck and collarbone all while Gio kept rolling his hips, tensing around him. Max sucked hard at his neck, scratching up his back as he came, Giovanni all but collapsing in his arms as Max finished inside him. They rested their heads together, arms tightly wrapped around each other, panting hard next to each other’s ear. “Fuck I love you” Max said, still breathing heavily.  
“I love you. I love you, so, so much” Rubbing Max’s back gently before getting off him slowly. He looked around the bed for a hand towel before sighing and chuckling. “I knew we forgot something”  
“I’ll go get one” Max said, having caught his breath.  
“You sure, I can go-” Getting cut off by Max leaning down to kiss him.  
“I got it” He whispered, barely parting their lips.  
He spent a moment rummaging through the boxes in the bathroom, pausing to look over himself in the mirror. His hair was a mess, his skin had a sheen from the sweat, and Gio had managed to make quite the mess on him even though the majority was on himself. Max wet the towel, wiping his torso and letting the cold cloth cool him down. “Everything ok babe? You’re really taking your time and I have A LOT going on here” Gio said, coming in and leaning on the door frame with a sweet smile, picking up a towel to clean himself up.  
“Come here” Max chuckled, extending his hand and leading him to sit on the counter in front of him, wiping him down a second time with the wet cloth before putting his arms around his waist, holding him close. Neither of them felt the need to say anything, they were in such a state of bliss.  
Gio chuckled and softly kissed the purplish bruising that was coming up on Max’s neck and shoulder. “I may have gone a little far with the biting tonight” He murmured. Max looked in the mirror at the light bruising.  
“Yeah well I must have really gone in on your neck there at the end” Gio turned, scoffing a laugh at the larger hickey at the base of his neck.  
“Wow we’re worse than teenagers” Shaking his head “Not gonna lie, it’s kinda hot” Winking and running his fingers down the side of Max’s neck. He wrapped his legs around Max’s hips “Ready for bed? My ass is freezing on this counter” Max stepped back to let him get up “You’re not going to carry me?” He said, looking almost offended. “I’m literally in the prime “whisk me up off the counter and carry me off to bed” position”  
Max stepped back towards him “Do you just want me to carry you everywhere?”  
Gio pouted “Pretty please” Max smiled, lifting Gio up and carrying him back to their room. Gio leant over and turned on the fairy lights around their bed.  
“We may not have unpacked most of the kitchen but I’m happy we put those up” Max said as he got into bed.  
“Makes it feel like home” Nestling himself down against Max’s chest.  
“This place really feels like it” Gently rubbing Gio’s arm.  
“Anywhere with you feels like home” Looking up and kissing Max, without any haste, neither of them having to think about flights and bags and how to store a wig. The exhaustion from the day soon hit them both hard, drifting off for the first time in their new home as though they had been there for years.

Max set up his camera in front of a blank wall in the living room, ready to film the new episode of Review with a Jew for the Jersey Justice episode of All Stars 4. Gio had helped him set up the lights and everything but he wanted to leave him to it, not wanting to get in the way. He was still trying to unpack everything so he was popping in and out of the living room as he moved things around. “Valentina’s Jersey accent was…” Pausing for effect.  
“Bad” Gio said, popping his head into frame. “It was bad”  
Max laughed “She said it” Continuing on with the filming, going through each of the storylines that the queens had to portray “What even was Trinity and Valentina’s”  
“Yeah cos a doctor that’s a Giant Pickle and 2 grown up babies fighting is sooooo realistic” Gio said sarcastically off camera, stocking the bookshelves.  
Max looked over at him “Touché” Turning back to the camera, smiling a little more than usual after Gio’s quips. “I know what they’re going to say, Valentina congratulations on being ugly today, it’s such a brave choice. Goddamnit Valentina I do that every day, where’s my congratulations”  
Giovanni had walked around the camera to the other shelf, so he was next to Max when he made that comment “Hey! You’re not ugly” Leaning in and kissing him “Stop thinking that” The two of them smiling at each other.  
“You know I’m going to keep this in right?” He said, their lips only an inch or two apart.  
Gio chuckled “Good thing I drew my eyebrows on today then” Checking himself out in the viewfinder and going back to what he was doing.  
“Ok it’s time for the runway! Curves and swerves! What kind of 80’s prom theme, westworld yodeler, Marie Antoinette, mustard fluff top-”  
“Are you bad mouthing Ru’s runway?” Gio said from across the room.  
“Yes I am, you know I don’t like it, we literally watched it together” Part of Max knowing that this was such good content for the episode. The parts where him and Katelyn would talk off to the side were some of his favorite moments of every episode and now Gio would be part of that too.  
“I know YOU don’t like it, but it IS lovely”  
“It looks like an over the top version of your good twin runway” Leaning back in his chair as Gio smiled at the compliment.  
“And did the children not gag at my runway?” coming closer.  
“Do you just want to sit down and join in on this?”  
Gio paused. “Can you give me 40 minutes”  
Exactly 40 minutes later Gio, or rather Aquaria, was sitting next to him in drag “That better?” Max asked.  
“Oh I’m sorry but who can judge the looks better than THE look queen”  
“That’s right everyone we get to see if Aquaria’s opinions match up like they will on fashion photo review where she doesn’t get to watch the episode before making an opinion on the looks”  
“Oh my god could you imagine if I’m like YASS WERK and then I boot it on Fashion Photo Review” His eyes wide trying to remember what he’d said about this weeks looks.  
“That is exactly something you would do”  
“You’re right, WAIT!” Grabbing Max’s arm “NO I COME IN FOR EPISODE 5! Oh girl let’s get into it” All of a sudden even more excited.  
The rest of the episode went so well, one of the best filming experiences he’d had with Review with a Jew. “And that is all from me and my gorgeous Aquaria BUT miss Monique Heart is in town so before I cut to that interview say goodbye Aqua” Pulling Gio off the arm of the couch and onto his lap with a giggle.  
“Goodbye Aqua” Waving at the camera, Max smiling at him.  
“Over to you Cracker” Looking up to the top right corner “Baby, up there” Pointing up to the right.  
“Oh” Looking up with him and waving to where the other video will be.  
Max kissed Gio’s cheek “Thank you” He whispered as Giovanni leaned into him.  
He turned and put his hand on the side of Max’s face “Any time babe” Kissing him gently “That was actually really fun” getting up and going upstairs to dedrag.  
Max took everything apart again, giving them their living room back. Gio had heard him and Katelyn complain so much about not having the right equipment to make Review with a Jew at the quality they wanted to for all of Season 10 and the first episode of All Stars 4 before he thought something had to be done about it. For Christmas he had gotten Max a new camera, a tripod, and a ring light that collapsed down and didn’t take up too much room in a suitcase. Max couldn’t help but think about how good it had been to film with Gio just then, knowing that regardless of what the episode was about, it would be his favorite episode.  
“You excited for tonight?” He said, stripping down, taking off his wig and sitting down at the vanity beside Gio’s. That night was their house warming party, all their friends were coming over to celebrate with them. It had started off as a small group of friends but now the guest list seemed to keep growing.  
Gio turned to him, trying to get all the makeup off, the eyeliner smearing around his eyes. “I am, it’s going to be so good to have everyone together. It’s almost like a practice for if people will get along at the wedding” Looking out of the corner of his eye as Max started scrubbing at his face.  
“The caterers should be here soon as well. Thank God you convinced me not to cook, I would have been stressed out of my mind” It had only been a 2 weeks since Gio had been able to convince him. Until then Max had been determined to cook everything for the party, but Gio knew that that would have driven the perfectionist inside him crazy, and he just wanted him to have a good night.  
Gio got up and put his hands on Max’s shoulders “Well you know I don’t want you to be stressed” Massaging his shoulders, most of the makeup now gone from Max’s face as he tried to get the remainder of the glue from his brow. Gio leant down and kissed his cheek a few times before kissing his jaw and neck, running his hands over Max’s shoulders and chest. “How long till the caterers get here?” He murmured by his ear.  
Max turned to him and smirked “Long enough” getting up and letting Gio lead him to the guest room.

Their guests started arriving a few hours later, starting with their close little circle for dinner and then growing to the 50-70 people they were expecting. They made quite the pair of hosts, Gio in an orange Moschino sweater and black jeans with a nice heeled boot and Max in grey jeans and the Versace sweatshirt Gio had bought him. Even with the drastic differences in their friends it all somehow worked. They made their rounds of the room, saying hello to everyone as a couple, taking all the compliments on their new home proudly. Not only were they proud of the house, but a lot of these people never really got to see them together. They didn’t get to see how they interacted, how Max’s hand would sit in the small of Giovanni’s back when they stood beside one another, how lovingly Gio would look at him. There was something kind of strange for Max seeing all these clubkids so dressed down, sitting around on their couch or at their dining table, or simply standing by their shelves and walls. Except for Amanda and Suzanne of course, they would never truly be dressed down, and Max was just surprised to see them in his house. Their friends would occasionally intermingle, mostly Max’s drag friends crossing to say hello, rather than his friends with more regular jobs. After the first 2 hours where the two of them were greeting their guests as a couple, they split up to hang out with their individual groups. Gio ended up sitting out on the patio with his friends, a lot of them smokers, so he braved the cold with a small space heater as the rest of the party happened inside the warm apartment.  
“This place is gorgeous!” Dusty said, her and her fiancé walking up to Max and giving him a hug.  
“God it’s been so long since I last saw you two, how have you been?” Giving both of them a tight squeeze. They stood in the kitchen catching up, Monet and Bob coming to join them. Giovanni saw that they had arrived and came inside to say hello.  
“Hey, we got your save the date the other day” Marc said, wrapping an arm around Dusty.  
“So we’ll see you there?” Gio asked, lifting himself onto the counter next to Max.  
“Can’t wait and I can’t believe you two are going to beat us to the alter and still throw, what I’m guessing is going to be, an amazing wedding”  
Dusty and Marc had postponed their wedding for Drag Race, and were still trying to save up for the wedding of their dreams. Max held Gio’s hand. “Honestly it’s really hard planning it and not being in the same city. And I don’t know how hard it’s going to be to pick flowers and taste wedding cakes and all of that but it’ll come together, right?” Looking to Gio for reassurance almost like he had gotten in his head as he had been speaking.  
Giovanni rubbed the back of his hand “It’ll all come together. Plus, we have a really good wedding planner who’s been helping us out” Stroking his thumb over the shorter hair above Max’s ear with his free hand.  
“To both of y’all making it work” Bob said, passing Max and Gio a glass of wine each.  
“To making it work” Dusty said, raising her glass  
They all clinked their glasses together, Max turned to Giovanni and said softly “To making it work”  
Gio leant down and kissed him gently “I love you” He whispered, Max whispering it back, their friends all smiling at them. They gave them some space as Max looked up at him with his hands on his fiancé’s waist. “Everything all good in here?” Gio asked, looking around the room.  
“There’s still plenty of food and alcohol. It’s all good baby” Feeling warm with Gio smiling back at him and bringing them into a soft long kiss as he sat on the kitchen counter.  
“Aquaaaariaaaaa!” Linux and Joe cooed from the doorway.  
“You coming back girl?” Joe called from across the room.  
Gio turned back to Max “I should head back” Leaning down for a quick kiss.  
“Don’t freeze out there” Stepping back so Gio could get off the counter, surprised when he stepped into him once more and draped his arms over his shoulders.  
“Guess you’re going to have to warm me up when I get back in” Smiling at the smirk on Max’s lips before kissing him quickly and going back out to his friends.

At around 11:30 Gio and his friends came back inside, admitting defeat to the cold. The party had really thinned out to the small group they had originally just wanted over for a dinner party. The caterers had left and the left-over food was on a few plates on the bench. A lot of Max’s friends had called it a night, quite a few of Gio’s had parties to go to that were just starting. Gio sat on the arm of the couch next to Max while his friends joined the rest of the little group on the floor. He put his hand behind Max’s neck to rub his head, but Max flinched at the touch.  
“Holy shit” Shocked by the chilling temperature. He reached up to caress Gio’s face apologetically “Baby you’re freezing”  
“What did I say about you having to warm me up daddy?” Raising his brow at him. Max pulled him down onto the couch on top of him and into a kiss that was much deeper than either of them expected, them both lying on the couch since Jordan had gotten up and freed up the rest of the seats for them.  
“Wow of all the things I never wanted to hear Aquaria say, that might be at the top of the list” Monet said from the floor.  
“Girl the things I have heard through walls in the past 14 months” Jordan said dryly from the counter that had become the bar for the night, downing the rest of his drink before starting to make another.  
Everyone in the room laughed as Max sat up and Gio nestled himself onto his lap, the older man rubbing his legs to try and bring some heat back into him faster. “BITCH! you have not heard THAT much, stop exaggerating… Oh and make me a G&T pretty please” Batting his eyelashes at Jordan.  
“I’ve heard more of you getting fucked than I have ever wanted to” Making him a drink. Max laughed. “Hey, I’ve heard too much of you too”  
“Ok now that is definitely an exaggeration, I am always considerate about the volume when we’re at a hotel” Turning back to look at him as well.  
Jordan had walked over, extending his arm to hand Gio his drink but pulling back before he could take it, raising a brow at Max “Boston, Birmingham, Glasgow, LA, oh and don’t even get me started on the night you two got engaged” Finally handing Gio his drink.  
“Kind of weird that you remember the cities” Bob said, looking around the room at the other people who were still there when he didn’t get a reply from Jordan, an affirmative nod from Monet, Joe and Austin.  
“Oh come on, we hadn’t seen each other in weeks and he just fucking won drag race and we had just gotten engaged. We get a free pass for that night” Max said, resting his head on Giovanni’s shoulder.  
“Yeah! And imagine everything I hear from YOUR room on tour” Gio quipped, Jordan almost doing a spit take as the room laughed again.  
“Ok bitch, fair!” Jordan leant over and high fived Gio “BUT Joe, baby, for your own good make sure you’re not next door to them when they get a night together on this tour, the longer their apart the less you’ll sleep”  
“Jordan oh my god!” Gio said through an embarrassed smile, going red and burying his head in Max’s hair.  
“Oh it’s true and you know it!” Everyone in the room laughing and Gio lifting his head to look at Max who was just smiling.  
“I mean…we know it” He said. Gio rolled his eyes with a laugh and kissed him, Max’s hand lingering on his jaw, keeping them in their own little moment for a bit longer.  
Linux put her hand on her boyfriend’s arm. “Awww look at the two of them, you two are still so cute together”  
The room all agreed that they were adorable. They all sat around for a little while, and a few more drinks, longer until it was almost 1am. Everyone left, a group of Gio’s friends going to continue their night at a party nearby. Bob, Monet and Katelyn staying back to help them clean up.  
“So who from that group is in your wedding party Aqua?” Monet said as she helped stack the dishwasher as Gio rinsed everything.  
“Linux, Joe, Austin and then obviously Jordan. Oh and my sister is also going to be there too. I really want Amanda to be our flower girl but Max keeps shutting down the idea” Gio said as Max walked over and kissed his cheek, wrapping his arms around the younger man’s waist while he was washing the dishes.  
“Only because I don’t need her AND you to outshine me at our wedding” Resting his head on Giovanni’s shoulder blade. Gio looked over his shoulder at him, positive that Max was about to fall asleep on him standing up.  
“Wait so both your wedding parties were here just then, minus Kameron and your sisters?” Monet said, raising a nonexistent eyebrow at Max.  
“Let the record show that I am not in Cracker’s wedding party” Bob said, tying off a trash bag.  
Max let go of Gio and crossed his arm over his chest. “I don’t know why you don’t want to be in my wedding party, you know how much it would mean to me”  
Bob sighed “Cracker we’ve talked about this, I don’t do weddings, you know that. You’re lucky I’m even going”  
“But I WANT you to be a part of it”  
“Cracker I’m not going to be one of your groomsmen” Bob didn’t like weddings, they really weren’t his thing.  
“Come on Bob, even I really want you to be a part of it” Gio drying his hands with a dish towel as Monet closed the dishwasher.  
“Why not be their officiant?” Katelyn said as she tied a second bag off. Everyone paused, Gio and Max looking at each other, both wide eyed and smiling.  
“Oh my god Katelyn you are a genius” Monet said, leaning against the counter and looking at Bob optimistically.  
Gio wrapped his arms around Max “Come on Bob, pleeeease” He cooed.  
“Yeah Bob, pretty please” Joining Gio in the puppy dog eyes.  
Bob crossed his arms over his chest, and sighed, a smile creeping up on his lips “Hmm you want to give me a mic, let me try and keep people entertained and marry the two of you?” The two of them nodding quickly “How can I say no” The two of them letting go of each other and going to hug Bob, both so happy that their family was going to be a part of the wedding.

They spent their last week together doing all the things they had missed doing while on tour. They unpacked all the remaining boxes, they went to the new restaurants friends recommended, saw off Broadway shows, went shopping in downtown. They met with designers and had meetings about future projects, everything feeling like it was happening at once, but both of them happy that things were happening, coming home to tell the other of the exciting things to come. In all of it they still made time to catch up with their individual friends. Max went and caught up with his friends for dinner and drinks, the group of them going back to Max’s old bar afterwards to catch up with the old queens and see how the bar was doing these days. No matter how successful he got or how long he toured for, he would never forget his beginnings in that bar and how far he had come. They may have become superstars overnight but they would never forget the road it took to get there. While Max was in Manhattan, Gio was closer to home in Brooklyn. It had been so long since Gio had been in town for a party that he had to jump at the opportunity the second Linux messaged him. Max’s cab had pulled up as Gio rummaged through his little bag for his keys.  
Gio’s jaw dropped, Max setting off laughing “I never thought I’d see the day I got home after you” Both of them giggling in their drunkenness as Max slowly walked over to him.  
“You had the longer drive home so I probably was at the cluurrrb for like 20 minutes longer than you” Wrapping his arms around Max’s waist.  
Max chuckled “The cluurrrb?”  
“Yes the cluurrrb” Both just giggling at each other as they held onto one another while light snow began to fall.  
“Did you have a good night?” resting his hands behind Gio’s neck and swaying them side to side in the cold air.  
“MmmmHmmm” Giovanni hummed “How about you?” Smiling at his drunk fiancé. Gio couldn’t remember the last time Max was truly drunk, which was good for him, given his history. But there was something about seeing him this level of happy drunk that made Gio know he had had a good night with his friends that he wouldn’t regret.  
“It was really good…but not as good as it is when I’m here with you” Making Gio blush and lean in to kiss him” Max pulled back after a few long moments “Can we go inside? I’m freezing my balls off out here” Max said, leaning back in Giovanni’s embrace.  
“Well we can’t have that happening” Gio went back into his little bag and immediately found the keys. They were met with a wall of heat from the lobby of their building as they walked in, Max’s arm around Gio’s waist and Gio’s arm around Max’s shoulders, completely thawed out by the time they got into their apartment.  
“You want to do anything in particular tomorrow?” Giovanni asked as he lay down next to Max in their bed 20 minutes later, both exhausted from their respective nights out and ready to sleep as the sun would be coming up in just a few hours.  
“I have a few things planned for us” Rubbing his arm.  
He lifted his head “You just gonna keep surprising me Maxwell Heller?” Smiling a mere inch or two away.  
Max held Gio’s hand, running his thumb over his engagement ring “For as long as we both shall live” Smirking and leaning in to kiss him.  
“Can I get a hint?” Gio asked, laying his head on Max’s shoulder.  
He kissed his forehead “Have I ever given you one before?” Gio chuckling lightly against him. “Goodnight baby, love you”  
“I love you too”

They woke up later that morning, both hungover, Max worse than Gio. The younger man had gotten out of bed to bring them each a cup of coffee to bed, barely opening the curtain furthest from their bed, just enough to let some light into the room.  
“This is why I don’t drink” Max said, sitting up on his elbows and taking the cup of coffee from him with a kiss. “Thank you baby”  
Gio got back into his side of the warm bed. “So what are these plans you had for today?” He asked, Max raising his eyebrows “Oh come on, I was drunk but not drunk enough to forget when you say you have something planned” Nudging his shoulder.  
Max put his half-finished cup on the bedside table, straddling Gio’s lap and holding his hand.  
“I just want us to have one more perfect day before I go on tour” Smiling softly.  
Gio lifting his hand to Max’s face, stroking the beard that had grown in that week gently. Unlike Gio who was still shaving every few days, Max had decided to see how it would look if he just let it grow, that and Kameron had challenged him to do it when they last saw her “Well then, where does our perfect day start?” Pulling Max down into a deep kiss.  
“Oh I can think of something” He whispered breathlessly against his lips as he ran his hand down Gio’s already naked body under the sheets.  
“Perfect”

Their perfect day started with brunch at the café where they had their first date, Gio’s foot brushing Max’s calf like he had done a year ago. It was still lightly snowing outside but they didn’t mind, walking along the streets arm in arm, Max resting his head against Gio’s shoulder as they stood at the crosswalk waiting for the lights to change. They went to a few of the vintage and thrift stores that Gio loved so much to look for antiques and unique items to decorate the apartment with. As they walked through the stores their hands never parted, each pointing out the things that they liked, spending hours just walking around and looking at everything. They had picked up a set of pink glass bowls that caught Max’s eye in one store, some frames that caught Gio’s eye in another.  
“We could stack these together and make a cute side table next to the couch” Max said as they picked through a pile of small vintage suitcases to find the 3 or 4 that they liked.  
“Oh that would be really cute” Gio rearranged the stack so the largest was on the bottom. One a baby blue, one an orange tan, one navy, and one cream. “There, we’d just have to secure them together somehow”  
“I think I have something in my tool kit at home that’ll do it” Wrapping his arms around Gio’s waist, the younger man turning and looking to his eyes. “I’ll even have it finished before dinner”  
Gio smiled and kissed him, the two of them picking up the suitcases and taking them to the register. They were walking out of the store when Gio’s saw something near the counter.  
“Hey how long till the Uber’s here?” He asked Max.  
“uh 4 minutes why?” Checking his phone as he tried to balance the 2 suitcases in one hand.  
Giovanni put the 2 suitcases in his arms down on the pavement next to Max, kissing him on the cheek “I’ll be 2 minutes”  
“Where are you-”  
“I just want to check something out” Smiling wide as he went back into the store, emerging a few minutes later as promised.  
“Get anything?” Max asked  
“Just a few things for Aquaria” Picking up the suitcases just as the car pulled up.

Back home Gio put some photos into frames and arranged them on the wall while Max went out onto the patio to make the side table. He brought it in and weighed it down with a few heavy books to help set the adhesive.  
“Look at you being all crafty and DIY” Gio said as he came back from the kitchen. Max slumped onto the couch, Gio quickly sitting down on his lap. “It’s perfect babe” Kissing him gently before leaning back in his arms. “So what are we making for dinner tonight? We might have to go to the store, that fridge is looking pretty empty. Or we could order in if you don’t feel like cooking” Playing with the hair at the nape of Max’s neck.  
“Or you could go get all dressed up and we can go to the reservation I made for us tonight” His hand running down Gio’s leg.  
Gio straightened up, leaning his head to the side and raising his eyebrow. “How dressed up are we talkin’?”  
Max couldn’t tell if he was excited or concerned “Let’s just say the name’s in French and even I’m breaking out the Versace for it”  
He breathed a sigh of relief as Gio grinned “Well I better go beat this mug then” He said as he got off his lap. He paused for a moment as he was about to leave the room, coming back over and leaning over the back of the couch and turning Max’s head to the side to kiss him.  
“What was that for?” Max asked with a smile as he looked back at him as he went to leave the room.  
“For being the best fiancé ever” He smiled back before he disappeared upstairs to go do his makeup.

Gio paused as he walked down the hallway to their bedroom to go get changed, backing up to the bathroom door. “You’re shaving the beard off before dinner?” He said as he leant against the doorframe.  
Max smiled “Yeah, I think it’s time to say goodbye to it” setting out the shaving cream and razor.  
Gio came over and leaned on the counter, stroking the short hair on his face that had grown in since their dinner party. “It was fun while it lasted” Running his thumb over the rough hairs “Not gonna lie I won’t miss the scratchiness around my mouth, or on my neck…or in other places” Both of them laughing.  
“You going to stand there while I shave or are you going to go get changed?” Max said with his hands on Gio’s waist.  
Gio kissed him one more time “I’ll be in the bedroom when you’re ready for the big reveal” Watching as Max smirked at him “Wow, not THAT big reveal…not yet” Winking as he swung around the doorframe  
Max smiled as he watched him leave “Hey baby” He called after him.  
“Yeah?” Gio said, popping his head back into the bathroom.  
“You look stunning” The younger queen blushing before leaving again.  
It felt good to take the beard off. He let his stubble grow in all the time, often going 2 or 3 days without shaving, but it had been years since the last time that he had let it grow out for more than a week. He rinsed his face, making sure he hadn’t missed a spot before looking over himself in the mirror, he looked like himself again. Max went back to the bedroom where Gio was sitting on the edge of their bed, zipping up his boots. He walked over so he was standing between his legs, Gio reaching up and running his fingers over Max’s freshly shaven face, smiling up at him.  
“Welcome back” He said as Max leant down to kiss him.  
Max stood back up, licking his lips and raising an eyebrow “hmmm cherry?” Trying to figure out the chapstick flavor Gio was wearing.  
He blushed a little and nodded “Would you prefer strawberry, or I have some random holiday flavors in one of Aqua’s handbags?”  
“Does it matter? I’m just going to kiss it off you anyway” Winking as he pulled on his good black pants.  
Gio got up and walked over as Max buttoned up the shirt he had bought him in the gold ornate full length mirror Gio had found earlier in the week and brought back for their bedroom. Max put his arm around Gio’s waist, Gio resting his hand on Max’s chest and shoulder, Max kissing the part of his collarbone that was poking out of the silky shirt and trailing up his neck.  
“hmmm-God we look good” The sight of the two of them in the mirror distracting Giovanni from the sensation of Max’s lips on his neck, that was moments ago making him question if they even needed to go to dinner.  
Max lifted his head and turned to the mirror “We do, don’t we”  
Gio took out his phone and grabbed a photo of them, Max kissing his cheek and pulling him in close, Gio with his leg kicked up and a big smile on his face. He sent it off to his story as Max finished getting dressed. Gio had been posting a lot together in the past few weeks. Both of them had. They didn’t often get all this time together and they loved to show the other off. Photos of Max cooking breakfast, Gio trying to figure out how to put furniture together or falling asleep on Max’s lap. They posted it, they didn’t care, they were in love, and, in a way, this was the modern version of screaming it from the rooftops.  
“Ready?” Gio asked as Max came into the living area.  
He patted all his pockets, definitely making sure he had his wallet tonight. “Yeah. You ready?” Gio nodded, the two of them throwing on their jackets going downstairs as the Uber pulled up.

The restaurant was even fancier than Gio had imagined, his jaw all but hanging open as they were taken to their table, their arms and hands intertwined as he rest his free hand on Max’s bicep “You are so getting laid tonight” He whispered into Max’s ear.  
“Was there any universe where I wasn’t?” Max chucking at him as the waiter gestured to their table. Max pulled Gio’s chair out for him before taking his own seat across from him. They looked over the menu. “So I’m thinking we go with the Oysters and the octopus for the first 2 courses” Max said as he ran his eyes over the menu. Gio’s brow shot up as he saw the prices, Max immediately knowing what he was looking at. He reached over held his hand “It’s my treat baby. Make up for some of the date nights we’ve missed”  
Gio rubbed the back of his hand, running his foot up and down Max’s calf under the table “Babe this is going to cost like 4 date nights” Squeezing his hand and going back to the menu. “Well if you’re payiiiiing I’ll take lobster for the 3rd course” Smirking at him “I’ll let you pick the dessert”  
“Because you don’t like sweet things but you think I’ll pick something delicious and-”  
“I always end up finishing your dessert because of it?” Finishing his sentence. Max squeezed his hand again, they were always so in sync.  
“Can I get you some drinks to start the night?” The waitress said as she stopped by their table.  
“I got this one” Gio said, winking at him, turning and picking a wine that he knew would pair well with their first 2 courses. The two of them clinking their glasses together as their first course was delivered to the table.

They walked out of the restaurant a few hours later, 2 glasses of wine down, an extra spring in their step after one of the best meals of their life.  
“Ok but the espresso martini for dessert? Excellent choice my love” Kissing Max on the cheek as he helped him put on his coat in the freezing winter air, snow landing on both their dark hair.  
“I knew you’d like it” Stepping into him for a kiss with his hands on Gio’s waist as the snow continued to fall.  
“Hey can we do one more thing before we go home?” Gio asked, interlocking his fingers behind Max’s neck.  
“Whatever you want to do, I’m in” Smiling up at him.  
Gio smiled back “When was the last time you went ice skating at Rockerfeller?”  
Max paused “Oh god, years probably” Trying to think back to the last time he and some friends had gone there years ago.  
“Great” Taking Max’s hand with a big smile.  
They walked the few blocks to the Rockerfeller Centre, having made it in time to get a decent amount of time on the ice before it closed. Max was a natural at it, getting right back into it as though he skated year round. Gio suddenly became a little nervous as they got to the edge of the rink and Max stepped onto the ice. Max could tell. “Take my hand” reaching out to him to give him his hand and the edge of the rink to balance himself. Something about Max holding his hand made him feel so secure. Gio wasn’t the best skater, but he knew how to skate enough that they easily made their way around the ice hand in hand, Max effortlessly spinning them around. Gio stumbled a little and Max caught him as he fell back.  
“Okay this is too picture perfect” Gio said as he looked up at Max as he held him with a strong arm under his back, perfectly dipped in his arm. He leant down and kissed him, slowly bringing him back up to a standing position. “I have something for you” He whispered against Max’s lips, going into his coat pocket and taking out a shiny silver locket.  
“When did you-the antique shop” realizing that that was what Gio must have run back in to get. He nodded, moving behind him and doing the clasp behind his neck. Max lifted the simple silver locket as Gio skated back around him “I love it” He opened it up.  
“I haven’t had time to find a photo for it, but I’m sure we have something that’ll fit”  
“Thank you” Max said, a hand on the side of Gio’s face for a quick kiss, Gio playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. “Home time?”  
“Home time”

They got back to the apartment, the clock having just passed midnight. They hung up their jackets on the hook next to the front door, Gio going over to their record player and looking through their collection to find something to listen to, giving up and asking Max to pick a movie. He didn’t want this day to end. He looked up at the corkboard above the record player, taking down a strip of photo booth photos they had taken that week when they were out at a bar with Monet and Bob. They had taken 2 sets of photos, Max using his as a bookmark, Gio pinning his to the corkboard until he figured out what he wanted to do with his. He went over to the kitchen while Max settled longways into the couch, trying to find something on Netflix that they hadn’t already seen. Gio found a pair of scissors in the kitchen drawer and cut the small photo of Max kissing his cheek from the bottom of the strip. He came over to the couch and climbed on top of Max, straddling his lap and opening the locket, sliding the photo into place. A perfect fit. “Now you can take a little piece of us with you on tour” Running his hands over Max’s chest, his lips turning down in a sad smile.  
Max held Gio’s hand in one hand and the locket in the other. “A month is too long to not see you” Rubbing the back of his hand.  
Gio sighed, taking a deep breath and trying not to get emotional. “I’m going to try and find a way to see you on the 3rd. It’s dumb for us to both be in the UK and not see each other. And we can go out for dinner as an early birthday celebration”  
Max froze, looking away from his eyes. “Please don’t remind me that I’m missing your birthday. I hate that I can’t be there” He looked back at him “Be honest with me, are you mad that I’m not going to be there” Looking like he was going to cry.  
Gio remembered how upset he had been last year when he wasn’t able to be there at midnight with him even though they then got to spend an amazing few days away together. “are you mad that I’m going to be on Werq the World for yours?” Wondering if there was some underlying resentment of him missing his 35th birthday.  
“No, of course not baby” Sitting up but keeping him on his lap.  
“Then why would you think I’m going to be upset?”  
“I just” He paused “I’m not upset that you’re going to miss my 35th birthday, I’m not sad that I’m missing your 23rd… I’m upset because I don’t know what birthdays we’re going to have together. What if I’m not going to be able to be there for 5 years, what if your first birthday with me is my 40th, what if we can’t even be together for that, how much of each other’s lives are we going to miss” Beginning to cry and break down.  
Gio was shocked at first, the change in Max being so sudden throwing him off “Hey, hey babe it’s ok” Sliding off his lap to sit next to him and rub his shoulders as Max tried to wipe away his tears. “We won’t miss the important stuff”  
“I’ve already missed so much of the important moments for you and it’s just feels like it’s going to keep happening” Getting up from the couch and turning back to Gio who’s face had dropped “You know we can’t make that promise without just getting let down”  
Giovanni couldn’t say anything, he was right, it wasn’t a promise that they could make. And that broke his heart. “Max…please, just-” cutting himself off as his voice broke and a tear rolled down his cheek.  
“I’m sorry” He said, hating seeing him upset. He crouched down in front of Gio, holding his hands “I shouldn’t think like this. I promise I’m not mad at you for missing my birthday this year. I just didn’t think it would still be so hard”  
Gio rubbed the back of his hand, not sure what to say. “Do you want to sit down?”  
“Um” He paused, still upset but not wanting to make it worse “I just um, I need to go pack some things for tomorrow” Going to the staircase and going up the stairs, closing the door to their drag room behind him. Gio fell back against the couch, looking up the ceiling and rubbing his face, not knowing how everything had just fallen apart so fast. He looked at his hands and the smears from his eyebrows that came off with them.  
“Great” He mumbled and got up and went to their room to get changed, grabbing a makeup wipe from next to the bed and admitting defeat for the smearing. He threw on a pair of sweat pants and was on his way to their drag room when he paused by the bathroom. If there was one person he knew in this world it was Max. He filled the tub, watching the steam come off the water at the bath bomb dissolved before he went upstairs. He leant his head against the door on the small landing, hearing a light sob on the other side. He knocked lightly at the door. “Babe?” He said softly as he opened the door. Max was sat on the floor next to his suitcase, trying to pack as many costumes as he could for the next month. Gio knelt down behind him and rubbed his shoulders. “You ok?”  
Max sighed “Yeah, I’ll be ok. Sorry for getting upset” he felt so dumb when he was like this. Max was such a closed off guy when he wasn’t with Giovanni, almost like he was afraid of being this vulnerable, afraid of a incident where people would see him like how Gio had just seen him.  
“Don’t be. This shit is really hard. I would be more worried if you weren’t upset” He said as he planted a soft kiss on his cheek and held him a bit tighter “I’m going to miss you so much every day while you’re gone. But this is what we have to do. This is how we pay our rent, this is how we pay for our wedding, this is how we spread our art. It’s what we do. Even though it sometimes sucks and we don’t get to see each other as often” He put a finger under Max’s chin to turn him towards him “We just have to keep making the times we do get together special”  
Max looked up at him doe eyed “I’m sorry for ruining our perfect night”  
“You didn’t ruin it babe” leaning down to kiss him gently “I actually have a surprise for you” Pulling away a few inches “Can we put a hold on the packing till tomorrow?” Max nodded. Gio took his hand and walked them down the stairs. He opened the bathroom door, Max stopping as he saw the bath and the half dozen candles that were spread around the room. He had even set the LED lights he had installed to a soft glowing pink.  
“Baby” Rendered speechless as Gio closed the door behind them.  
Giovanni put his hands on Max’s hips and held him against him. “If I know you like I know I do, there’s no mood that can’t be lifted in a bathtub” He kissed behind his ear “But I thought it would be nice if the tub had water in it this time” Stripping down and getting into the hot water. Max took his hand and got into the water with him, settling himself between Gio’s legs and resting his head against his chest. They lay in the tub, talking and kissing and running their hands all over each other in the water until it was almost luke warm. Max lifted himself onto the bathroom counter, a towel wrapped around his waist as Gio dried himself off and drained the tub, discarding the towel onto the floor before stepping into Max.  
“Hmm you smell amazing” Max said as he ran his hands from Gio’s jaw and down his chest while he leant in for a series of gentle kisses “your skin feels so soft”  
Gio laughed silently, pausing and pushing a strand of hair off Max’s forehead as he looked over the features of his face. Wishing this wouldn’t be the last night he could just look at him for the next month “I love you”  
“I love you too. Thank you for saving tonight” Running his thumb along Gio’s jaw.  
“No. Thank you for one of the best days, and nights, I’ve ever had” Smiling sweetly at him and putting his hand behind his neck to kiss him again, both of them leaning into the kiss. Gio’s lips moved to his neck a minute later.  
“Hmm” Max hummed as the hand on the small pulled him in, and almost off the counter “Hey, careful baby” He said, making Gio pull back a little.  
“What’s wrong?” He asked, lightly kissing his jaw  
“Nothing” his hands on his chest “I just shouldn’t show up to my first meet and greet covered in hickeys... but I don’t want you to stop” Massaging his scalp, holding him there, his desire contradicting him.  
Gio gave him a devilish grin “Want me to put my mouth to use somewhere else?” His hand moving up Max’s leg and under the towel without breaking eye contact.  
“Oh my god I am so in love with you” He said, pulling him into another round of kisses between the sweetest giggles from Giovanni. “And I love you enough to not make you have to kneel on a tile floor”  
Gio laughed “Wow! You really such a gentleman” he said sarcastically as he pulled back from the kiss. Max got off the counter and gave Gio a slow long kiss, blowing out a few of the candles as he took his hand and opened the door. Gio grabbed the towel off Max’s waist and onto the floor.  
“Really?” Max said with a raised brow.  
“Really” Blowing out the last 2 candles and walking past him, pulling him with him to their bedroom.

The next morning Gio did everything in his power to keep the mood light. He brought Max breakfast with a kiss like every other day and kept them in bed for as long as they could. Katelyn came over just after lunch. “You don’t have clothes on under that do you?” She asked as Gio opened the door in his robe, the wiggle of his brow being answer enough as Max came into the room, still tying the belt of his robe around his waist. “Did you two literally just-” Raising her brow.  
“Yep, just finished” Max said, realizing what he said when Gio scoffed a laugh from the kitchen  
“Speak for yourself, I finished 5 minutes ago” winking at him as he leaned on the counter.  
“Mmm gross” Katelyn said, having never asked for that much information “Why do I hang out with the two of you?” At least they put something on, she’d thought to herself as Max wrapped his arms around Giovanni for a quick kiss. They got changed and packed the rest of Miz Cracker’s clothes and wigs, and enough of Max’s boy clothes for the month into the pale pink and blue suitcases. The 3 of them went out for lunch before heading to the airport, Max not letting go of Gio’s hand on the table for as much of the meal as was humanly possible, Gio running his foot along his calf under the table when they couldn’t hold hands while eating. They held off their emotions until they got into the car to go to the airport. Katelyn got into the front to let the two of them have at least a bit of privacy. Max sat in the middle of the back seat with his head on Gio’s shoulder and Gio’s arm wrapped firmly around him the entire time. Their hands were held in Gio’s lap, the younger queen turning to kiss Max’s forehead every few minutes. Gio had never hated airports more than he did in that moment, just wishing he could have been with him until the moment Max would have to step onto the plane. But that’s just not the way things work. They went as far as they could together into the airport.  
“I’ll see you in 2 weeks” Gio said as Max and him shared a tight hug, Max kissing the side of his head. Thereby making a promise that they would find a way to see each other while their stays in the UK overlapped.  
Max put his hands on the side of his face as Gio encircled his waist. “I’ll be counting down the days” He had wanted to be cheesy and cute and cliché but there was too much truth in the statement, a few of the tears he had been trying to hold back all day finally spilling over. Gio didn’t know how he held back his own tears as he wiped the ones from Max’s cheek, something inside of him knew he had to be the strong one that day.  
“You’re going to do amazing, this show is going to be everything people could ask for and more. It’ll fly by, I’ll be there before you know it, and then you’ll be home soon after that and we can taste wedding cakes and buy suits and all that fun stuff” Swaying them gently.  
Max looked at him with a hopeful smile “Promise?”  
Gio giggled “I promise” Leaning in to kiss him for a few long moments, maybe a little too long for the airport but they didn’t care.  
They leant their foreheads together “I love you” Max whispered, reaching up and letting Gio rest his head into his palm.  
“I love you” He whispered back before the two of them went over to Katelyn. Gio gave her a hug goodbye and kissed Max one more time before watching them walk away, wishing he was going on tour with him, knowing one day they would be touring the world together. Hopefully sooner rather than later.


End file.
